NBA insider reveals how LeBron James batted for Michael Malone before their recent spat following Nuggets coach's comments

The feud between LeBron James and Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone has turned into a bit of a trending topic. However, NBA insider Marc J. Spears has said that James had stood in support of Malone's ability way before their feud.

The spat between James and Malone traces back to the 2020 Western Conference Final between the Lakers and the Nuggets. After a gruelling six-game series, the Lakers emerged victorious and went on to win the Championship.

Needless to say, Michael Malone and the Nuggets remembered that loss when they faced LeBron James in the most recent iteration of the matchup in the 2023 WCF.

With the Nuggets sweeping the Lakers, Malone made a lot of noise. Considering that he has been vocal about his disappointment with the amount of attention the Purple and Gold were receiving, that seemed expected.

Malone also took jabs at James, but that grew exponentially after the Nuggets emerged NBA champions.

Malone's shots at James could be considered valid in some regard, but in light of Marc J. Spears' revelation, they may come across as unsavory.

As per NBA insider, James had stood in defense of Malone's coaching ability when he was let go from the Sacramento Kings' coaching staff. Spears even posted the direct quote from James:

"A good friend of mine got fired in Sacramento. (The Kings) didn't know what they were doing with Mike Malone," said James.

The quote dates back to the 2014-15 season. So, it seems surprising how drastic the change in the nature of Malone's relationship with James has been.

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LeBron James fires back at Michael Malone

Amidst the comments made by Michael Malone, LA Lakers star LeBron James held his silence. However, the "King" finally fired back at Malone in a recent Instagram post.

James has garnered a reputation for dropping cryptic messages when calling people out. Although he didn't directly refer to Malone in the post, James got his point across.

Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets will look to go back-to-back next season and see their brewing rivalry with the Lakers escalate.