Why did Cavaliers fire J.B. Bickerstaff? Playoff exit, new approach amid LeBron James rumors led to change
Why did Cavaliers fire J.B. Bickerstaff? Playoff exit, new approach amid LeBron James rumors led to change
The Cavaliers have reportedly dismissed head coach JB Bickerstaff after four seasons at the helm in Cleveland.
Bickerstaff's departure comes as somewhat of a surprise after leading the Cavaliers to a playoff series win for the first time since LeBron James' departure in 2018.
Cleveland finished with a 48-34 record to claim the No. 4 seed in the East, defeating the No. 5 seed Magic to advance to the second round. Despite missing All-Star center Jarrett Allen for the entire series and All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell for the final two games, Bickerstaff's Cavaliers put up a valiant fight before a 4-1 exit to the No. 1 seed Celtics.
Bickerstaff took over for Jon Beilein as Cleveland's head coach midway through the 2019-20 season. After compiling a 22-50 record in his first full season in 2020-21, Bickerstaff helped orchestrate a quick rebuild. He finished with a 170-159 record in four-plus seasons, leading the Cavaliers to the playoffs twice.
Why did Cleveland part ways with Bickerstaff? The Sporting News takes a closer look below.
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Why did Cavaliers fire JB Bickerstaff?
Bickerstaff's quick turnaround to bring the Cavaliers from a lottery team in 2021 to a No. 4 seed in consecutive seasons in 2023 and 2024 was not enough to keep his job.
Cleveland had a disappointing early exit at the hands of the No. 5 seed Knicks in the first round of the 2023 playoffs. Bickerstaff led the Cavaliers to a playoff series win this year — the franchise's first without LeBron on the roster since 1993 — but the change "comes with hope of advancing deeper," per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Cleveland's front office "wants a fresh approach" as president of basketball operations Koby Altman and general manager Mike Gansey begin their coaching search, Wojnarowski reported.
Warriors assistant coach Kenny Atkinson was noted as a "candidate to monitor," while Pelicans assistant coach James Borrego was mentioned as an "initial target," per The Athletic's Shams Charania.
What's next for Cavaliers?
The Cavaliers are in a unique position. They have a roster with plenty of young talent but need to pick a direction after two early playoff exits.
Superstar guard Mitchell is eligible for a four-year contract extension worth north of $200 million this offseason. He has one year and $35.4 million remaining on his current deal with a $37.1 million player option for the 2025-26 season.
Mitchell's name has frequently popped up in trade rumors and he will be one of the most desired stars on the market if he becomes available.
26-year-old Allen and 24-year-old Darius Garland are two other names that could become available this offseason. Both one-time All-Stars should net the Cavaliers a sizeable haul if they decide to change things up.
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And then there is the pure speculation about a potential return for James, who has a player option to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
LeBron sparked curiosity around the league when he attended a Cavaliers playoff game in Cleveland after his Lakers were eliminated. Could the Bickerstaff firing be a chess move to try and court The King? That remains to be seen, but it is not out of the realm of possibility.