PHOENIX — Hours before the Nuggets were set to tip off against the Suns on Saturday night, Nuggets coach Michael Malone had another game on his mind.
Malone wanted to wish three of former players — Malik Beasley, Juancho Hernangomez and Jarred Vanderbilt — well ahead of their debuts with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Those three were dealt Tuesday night as part of a four-team trade that landed the Nuggets Keita Bates-Diop, Noah Vonleh, Shabazz Napier and a first-round pick. Just ahead of Thursday’s deadline, the Nuggets flipped Napier for Washington shooting guard Jordan McRae.
“There were so many different things (going on Tuesday night), but I definitely reached out,” Malone said in his first public comments since the blockbuster deal.