The Cleveland Cavaliers have announced the dismissal of head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, ending his four-year tenure with the franchise. The move comes after the Cavs were eliminated from the playoffs in the second round by the Boston Celtics.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have parted ways with head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, ending his four-year tenure with the franchise. The decision was announced on Thursday, one week after the Cavs were eliminated from the playoffs in the second round by the Boston Celtics.
Bickerstaff first took over as head coach in February 2019 following the resignation of John Beilein. He led the Cavs to a relatively successful season in 2021-22, guiding them to their deepest playoff run since LeBron James' departure in 2018. However, the team struggled with injuries this season, with All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell and center Jarrett Allen missing the final two games of the playoffs.
Despite the team's success under Bickerstaff, other issues apparently led Cavs owner Dan Gilbert and president of basketball operations Koby Altman to make a change. Bickerstaff had his flaws, including struggles with in-game adjustments and a stagnant offense. There is also a belief that he could have done more to develop guard Darius Garland and Evan Mobley, who, along with Mitchell and Allen, give the Cavs one of the league's best young cores.
In his first full season, Bickerstaff went just 22-50 with one of the NBA's youngest rosters. They improved to 44 wins in his second year before losing in the Play-In Tournament. After acquiring Mitchell via trade in 2022, the Cavs went 51-31 last season and had home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs before getting knocked out in five games by the New York Knicks. The early exit put added pressure on Bickerstaff to do more this season.
The coaching change could trigger a summer shift for the Cavs, who are hoping to sign Mitchell to a long-term contract extension. The team could also make major moves while being tied to whatever James ultimately decides to do. James, who can opt out of his contract with the Lakers, attended Cleveland's final home playoff game, raising speculation about him making another homecoming and playing a third stint with the Cavs.
In the short term, the Cavs have begun their search for a replacement for Bickerstaff. Altman has said that the team will be looking for a coach who can help the team take the next step and compete for a championship.
Bickerstaff went 170-159 in the regular season and 6-11 in the playoffs with Cleveland. He is a well-respected NBA coach and an incredible human being, but the Cavs believe that a change is necessary to move the franchise forward.
