"They changed the floor back to old school. They changed the uniform back to old school. Somebody tell the damn players to start playing like old school," Malone said before the Jazz hosted the Phoenix Suns on Friday night. "It may work. They spent a lot of money on the rest, now how about you tell the players. I'm just calling it like I see it."
Malone, who has exchanged phone messages with Sloan since his resignation, also took issue with some national analysts and players who were particularly critical of Sloan.
The most outspoken player in recent months had been star guard Deron Williams, who clashed with Sloan about the coach's practice schedule and study demands.
"You're a professional," said Malone, a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player and one of greatest power forwards in league history. "You don't need for me to break a film down for you. If you want to stop the guy you're playing, they pay you millions of dollars. You get you a TV and break the player down yourself."
Sloan and longtime assistant Phil Johnson both said they decided to step down after Wednesday's emotional loss to Chicago. Their resignations were announced at a press conference Thursday that was not attended by a single player.
That alone irritated Malone, who was drafted in 1985 -- the year after Sloan first joined the Jazz as an assistant.
"I don't even need to answer whether I would have been there or not," said Malone, who followed Sloan and All-Star guard John Stockton into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.
"If I got something to say or do to a man, I'm going to look that man in the eye and tell him what is going to happen. That's just me now."