Current:Home > MyCavaliers fire head coach J.B. Bickerstaff following consecutive playoff appearances-InfoLens
Cavaliers fire head coach J.B. Bickerstaff following consecutive playoff appearances
View Date:2024-12-23 17:26:00
The Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday fired head coach J.B. Bickerstaff following a 48-34 season and second-round loss to the Boston Celtics.
Bickerstaff coached the Cavs for four-plus seasons, going from 22 victories in 2020-21 to 51 last season and 48 this season, good for the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Despite that improvement, Bickerstaff fell out of favor with players, according to reports by The Athletic and Cleveland.com.
Bickerstaff, 45, was 170-159 and made the playoffs twice during his time with the Cavaliers. He joined the Cavs as an associate head coach under John Beilein in 2019 and took over for Beilein later in the 2019-20 season. The Cavs made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons without LeBron James on the roster for the first time since 1995 and 1996.
"J.B. is a well-respected NBA coach and an incredible human-being," Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman said in news release. "Over the past four years, he helped establish a culture that progressively drove players to become the best versions of themselves. Decisions like these are never easy, particularly when you look back at where this franchise rebuild started under his leadership.
All things Cavaliers: Latest Cleveland Cavaliers news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.
"The NBA is a unique business that sometimes requires aggressive risk-taking to move a franchise forward and ultimately compete for championships. We owe a ton of gratitude for everything J.B. has contributed to the Cavaliers and his engagement in the Cleveland community. We wish J.B., his wife Nikki and their three children the best in their future endeavors."
It is an attractive job, and Altman will put together a list of coaching candidates. Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland form a strong backcourt, and Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley give the Cavs an interior presence, especially defensively. Mitchell can become a free agent following the 2024-25 season, and the Cavs also need to determine if he is part of their long-term plans.
veryGood! (8)
Related
- Sister Wives' Janelle Brown Details to Meri Why She Can't Trust Ex Kody and His Sole Wife Robyn
- Creating NCAA women's basketball tournament revenue unit distribution on board agenda
- Air travelers sue CrowdStrike after massive computer outage disrupts flights
- Meet the flower-loving, glitter-wearing, ukulele-playing USA skater fighting for medal
- Inter Miami's MLS playoff failure sets stage for Messi's last act, Alexi Lalas says
- Halsey Shares She Once Suffered a Miscarriage While Performing at a Concert
- Florida attorney pleads guilty to bomb attempt outside Chinese embassy
- David Lynch reveals he can't direct in person due to emphysema, vows to 'never retire'
- West Virginia governor-elect Morrisey to be sworn in mid-January
- Air travelers sue CrowdStrike after massive computer outage disrupts flights
Ranking
- Officer injured at Ferguson protest shows improvement, transferred to rehab
- 2024 Olympics: Gymnast Ana Barbosu Speaks Out After Missing Medal Due to Jordan Chiles' Score Change
- Taylor Swift adds five opening acts to her August Wembley shows. See the women she picked
- 911 operator calmly walks expectant mom through a surprise at-home delivery
- California farmers enjoy pistachio boom, with much of it headed to China
- Incumbent Maloy still leads after recount in Utah US House race, but lawsuit could turn the tide
- Judge in Trump’s hush money case delays date for ruling on presidential immunity
- Secretaries of state urge Elon Musk to fix AI chatbot spreading election misinformation on X
Recommendation
-
Forget the bathroom. When renovating a home, a good roof is a no-brainer, experts say.
-
Pitbull Stadium is the new home of FIU football. The artist has bought the naming rights
-
Michigan man pleads no contest to failing to store gun that killed 5-year-old grandson
-
Florida attorney pleads guilty to bomb attempt outside Chinese embassy
-
Ranked voting will decide a pivotal congressional race. How does that work?
-
Houston mom charged with murder in baby son's hot car death; grandma says it's a mistake
-
Georgia repeats at No. 1 as SEC, Big Ten dominate preseason US LBM Coaches Poll
-
9 killed when an overloaded SUV flips into a canal in rural South Florida, authorities say