Former Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone had quite the roller-coaster season. He led his team to the playoffs, only to be dismissed just days before the regular season ended for a few losses in a row. And after more than a decade with the franchise, questions soon surfaced about his relationship with the Nuggets star, Nikola Jokic. The speculation grew louder when Malone praised MVP winner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander over the Serbian star. Has tension developed between Malone and Jokic?

Well, no. Even though the championship-winning coach cleared the air around this rumor just a few days after, if there were any lingering doubts, Malone also shut them down during a recent interview. While chatting on the Carolina Insider Podcast, the 54-year-old veteran revealed what it’s like coaching players as good as LeBron James and Nikola Jokic, especially the Nuggets superstar. It was during this that he revealed his stance on the three-time MVP.

“My first year in Denver was Nikola’s first year, and he was a goofy young kid, overweight, out of shape, but terrific personality. always laughing, always joking. And from day one through my last years, he was the same person. He wanted to be coached; he never resisted coaching,” Malone said. He praised Jokic’s terrific personality while pointing out that the Serbian big man was always hungry to get better. Well, there was never a rift between Malone and Jokic, and contrary to that the Malone made a big admission.

In the meantime, the former Nuggets coach also revealed that coaching players like Joker and LeBron James also taught him a lot throughout the years. “So, the amount of things I’ve learned from guys like LeBron or Nikola Jokic, I feel really fortunate to have coached them, not because just they’re great players, but also because the way they view the game and some of the things that they may see,” he stated.

It isn’t random when a coach considers himself “fortunate” to coach a player. Still buying the rift rumor? Let that settle. Nonetheless, this wasn’t all that Malone talked about on the podcast, as the veteran head coach, who’s currently a free agent, also delivered a huge message to all the NBA teams.

Michael Malone has sent a clear message to all NBA teams before the new season

After being without a coaching job since his firing by the Denver Nuggets just three games before last season’s end, Michael Malone says he’s ready for a new challenge. The championship-winning coach, linked to several teams over the summer, admitted he’s open to returning only if the right opportunity meets his terms.

 “I’ve felt really fortunate and blessed to have that opportunity in Denver,” Malone said, reflecting on his long stint with the Nuggets. “And now that I’m out, I go around, be around guys like Hubert Davis and the UNC team. I’ll work for ESPN this coming year, do some TV work, even though I have a face for radio and all about that here, coach.”

But Malone isn’t stopping there, as heart still believes his coaching days aren’t over. Speaking on the Carolina Insider Podcast with Jones Angell and Adam Lucas, Malone sent a clear message to NBA teams about his next move. “And then, next year, obviously, in my heart, in my soul, I’m a coach. I’m a teacher. I would love to get back to coaching again, as long as it’s the right opportunity with the right people and, you know, we’ll go from there,” he added.

Now, it’s safe to say that after hearing this statement, there will be a lot of teams keeping tabs on the former Nuggets head coach, and who knows? We might even see him back courtside later this season.