J.B. Bickerstaff’s tenure as the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers came to an end earlier today. The decision to fire Bickerstaff has divided opinion, with Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle passionately defending the former head coach, praising what he achieved with the Cavaliers in re-establishing their identity.
“It is simply a reality. I thought J.B. Bickerstaff did an amazing job. That was a complete culture makeover there. He was inventive, he started playing big four-and-a-half years ago. People wondered how this would work, they had Markkanen playing the three and the other two big guys. They became a top two or three defense in the NBA.”
Carlisle sympathized with the injuries the Cavs dealt with before admitting that coaches losing their jobs like this is simply a reality of the business.
“This season, injuries were constant for them. They were constantly adjusting. I have great respect for him, I’ve been in touch with him… In our profession, no one likes it, but teams and ownership can fire who they want to, so our business has to be a very resilient one. He’s been through a lot in his career. He’s grown so much as a coach… JB will be fine, he’ll certainly be a head coach again.”
“I thought J.B. Bickerstaff did an amazing job… In our profession, no one likes it, but teams and ownership can fire who they want to.”
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle talks about the Cavaliers firing Bickerstaff 🗣
(via @danield1214) pic.twitter.com/KaZje0pgW3
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 23, 2024
J.B. Bickerstaff became the head coach of the Cavaliers in 2020, taking the role from outgoing coach John Beilein on an interim basis before being confirmed into the position. He led the team to a 170-159 (.517) record in five seasons, leading the franchise to their only non-LeBron playoff appearances and only second-round win since the ’90s.
Bickerstaff’s Cavaliers saw three key starters miss time, with Darius Garland playing 57 games, Donovan Mitchell playing 55 games, and Evan Mobley playing 50 games. Despite this, the team made the Playoffs and advanced to the second round before losing to a 65-win Celtics team in a series where Mitchell got hurt.
It seems internal discord in the team has been blamed on the coach, as the Cavs head into a summer where they will likely shake their roster up.
J.B. Bickerstaff Was Publicly Screamed At By GM Koby Altman
The situation in Cleveland has been tense since December 2023, when GM Koby Altman walked into the locker room and yelled at the head coach in front of the entire staff for playing Donovan Mitchell heavy minutes in a regular season game. Altman was unaware that Mitchell stayed in that game per his own request.
“Altman walked into the coach’s office and admonished Bickerstaff in front of his entire staff for playing Mitchell such heavy minutes, multiple sources briefed on the interaction told The Athletic. Descriptions of the incident spread across the organization, including the locker room.”
When a GM feels empowered enough to give the coach a public dressing down, it’s clear the front office is not in love with him anymore. With other reports suggesting the players were the ones to push Bickerstaff out, especially Mitchell, it seems the coach had simply worn out his welcome in Cleveland.
Firing him now instead of going through another season with this uncertainty might be a smarter move. The Cavaliers will have to be careful with who their next coach will be, as it could decide whether Mitchell stays on the team long-term.
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