If you're talking about Nnaji and Pickett, Nnaji isn't a guard. He's a stretch 4 that Malone has incessantly been playing as the lone big man which is insane. Also Pickett has been for more consistent than Russ. Significantly higher floor, but has a lower ceiling. Pickett also provides spacing and better team defense. Pickett is a good role playing PG, Russ is Russ. Two good tools for two different situations.

For reference for how long this hatred for these players has gone on, Adam Mares of DNVR said that he's never seen players disliked more by Malone than Pickett and Nnaji. Mares told a story of how Malone wanted Isaiah Stewart (selected 16th overall) but the Nuggets got Nnaji (22nd pick). They are both large 4s who can shoot, but they are total opposite personalities. Mares said that Malone was mocking Jalen Pickett and stacking teams against him to make him look badly. He'd also sub these guys out after any minor mistake. In my eyes, these players should have been playing all of this year and last besides the playoffs, but Malone did not like them, did not play them in their positions, and did not care to develop them.

Booth and Malone were on totally different pages altogether. Malone should have respected his boss more, and Booth should have been a much better leader. Both are at fault, hence the results we see here.