Malone possesses over 21 years of coaching experience, 17 coming in the NBA with six different teams – New York, Cleveland, New Orleans, Golden State, Sacramento and Denver. The teams that Malone has been a member of the coaching staff have amassed eight playoff appearances, including one NBA Finals showing and two conference finals appearances.

Currently as the Head Coach of the Denver Nuggets, Malone guided the Nuggets to the organization's first-ever NBA Championship and five consecutive postseason appearances. In addition to the team's success he helped his star forward Nikola Jokic become an NBA MVP and NBA Finals MVP. 

Before joining the Nuggets, Malone served as the head coach of the Sacramento Kings for two seasons. Before his time with the Kings, Malone was the lead assistant for the Golden State Warriors under Mark Jackson from 2011-13 where they clinched a postseason berth in 2013, their first since 2007.

Prior to Golden State, Malone worked as the lead assistant to Monty Williams in New Orleans and helped the Hornets achieve a 46-36 record and a trip to the 2011 NBA Playoffs. The Hornets were the most improved defensive team in the NBA in 2011, allowing a league-best 8.7 fewer points per game than in the previous campaign (94.0 ppg, after giving up 102.7 ppg in 2009-10).

Malone also served as an assistant coach under Mike Brown for the Cleveland Cavaliers for five seasons, during which the Cavs posted a 272-138 (.663) record, the third-best mark in the NBA over that span. The Cavaliers made five consecutive playoff appearances during Malone’s time on the bench, reaching the NBA Finals in 2007 and the Eastern Conference Finals in 2009. In 2008-09, the Cavs notched a franchise record and NBA-best 66 wins, with Malone and the rest of the team’s staff earning the right to coach the Eastern Conference All-Star squad. In 2009-10, the Cavaliers again captured the league’s best regular season record with 61 wins.

Malone is a three-time participant in the NBA’s “Basketball Without Borders” program, having coached at the league’s global outreach camps in Africa (2017), Puerto Rico (2006) and Argentina (2005). In 2017 Malone traveled to Johannesburg, South Africa where he spent a week coaching at the BWB camps and then served as an assistant coach for Team Africa, for the NBA Africa Game 2017.

A native of Queens, New York, Malone played college basketball at Loyola College in Maryland, where he graduated with a BA degree in 1994. He is a graduate of New Jersey’s Seton Hall Prep where he played two years under Bob Farrell. Malone also played a season under Tom Blackburn at Worcester Academy (Mass.).

Michael is the son of longtime NBA coach Brendan Malone, who has coached over 28 years in the league.

He and his wife, Jocelyn, have two daughters, Caitlin and Bridget.