The Cleveland Cavaliers have made a bold move, dismissing head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations, Koby Altman, announced the decision today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.
Bickerstaff, who amassed a 170-159 regular season record and a 6-11 postseason record, led the Cavaliers to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons (2023, 2024). Under his leadership, the team recorded at least 44 wins in each of the last three seasons, including a First-Round playoff series win and a trip to the Eastern Conference Semifinals for the first time since 2018.
“J.B. is a well-respected NBA coach and an incredible human being,” Altman stated. “Over the past four years, he helped establish a culture that pushed players to become their best. Decisions like these are never easy, especially considering where our franchise started under his leadership. The NBA often requires aggressive risk-taking to compete for championships.
We are grateful for J.B.’s contributions 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 endeavours.”
Bickerstaff, who signed a multi-year contract extension in December 2021, significantly improved the Cavaliers’ performance over his tenure. He increased the team’s win total over three consecutive seasons, from a dismal 19-46 in 2019-20 to an impressive 51-31 in 2022-23. He also played a crucial role in developing the Cavaliers’ young core.
During the 2022-23 season, Bickerstaff guided the Cavaliers to their first 50-win season and postseason berth since 2017-18. The team finished with the NBA’s best defensive rating (109.9) and the 8th-best offensive rating (115.5).
They were one of only three NBA teams to rank in the top 10 for both offensive and defensive ratings, alongside Boston and Philadelphia. The previous season, he led the Cavs to a 44-38 record, doubling their win total from the prior year.
Bickerstaff, 45, initially joined the Cavaliers as an associate head coach before the 2019-20 season. His tenure included steering the team through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw the season abruptly halted shortly after he took over following the 2020 All-Star break.
As the Cavaliers move forward, they face the challenge of finding a new leader to build on the foundation that Bickerstaff laid. The decision to part ways underscores the franchise’s commitment to taking aggressive steps toward becoming championship contenders.
