Cavaliers fire Bickerstaff

Bickerstaff is out after the Cavs were eliminated the second round of this year’s playoffs.

J.B. Bickerstaff is out as Cleveland Cavaliers head coach.

Bickerstaff, as first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, has been fired just over a week after the Cavs were eliminated in the second round by the Boston Celtics. In five seasons with Cleveland, Bickerstaff has a record of 170-159.

The 45-year-old Bickerstaff took over as Cavs head coach in March 2020 after John Beilein resigned as head coach. Since then, Bickerstaff has been at the helm of a team that went from lottery team to play-in team to a first-round exit team to now a second-round exit team. His father, Bernie Bickerstaff, remains a advisor to the Cavs’ front office.

What ultimately cost Bickerstaff it feels like is his relationship to the players. Right after the season ended, reporting from The Athletic indicated that the Cavs players questioned Bickerstaff’s strategies on multiple occasions, among other things. Donovan Mitchell, specifically, reportedly “does not have great confidence” in Bickerstaff. When that happens, it’s hard to keep a coach even if they have a winning record and have progressed year over year.

Bickerstaff, for what he accomplished, did most of what was asked of him. Cleveland needed him to take over at a time of turbulence in the organization (and the world) and he did that. For what they needed then and in the ensuring few years, Bickerstaff was the right coach, the right voice. But they’ve since evolved past that. And it’s time for find the new one.

The team has not yet officially announced Bickerstaff’s exit.