JB Bickerstaff was fired as head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday, despite the team’s progress despite numerous injuries and their appearance in the second round of the NBA playoffs.
Bickerstaff’s departure came a week after the Cavaliers fell in five games to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Cavs played the last two games of this series without their star guard Donovan Mitchell, who played for more than two months despite a right knee injury.
Mitchell must now determine whether he wants to sign a long-term contract extension with the Ohio team this summer. His future may have influenced the Cavaliers management’s decision to fire Bickerstaff, who was the architect of the Cavaliers’ steady progress over the last four campaigns, although it clearly wasn’t enough for him allow him to keep his position.
“JB is a well-respected coach in the NBA and an incredible individual,” said Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman. Over the past four years, he has helped establish a culture that has progressively pushed players to deliver their best. Decisions like these are never easy, especially when you look at where this rebuild started. »
Bickerstaff, 45, was 170-159 in the regular season and 6-11 in the playoffs with the Cavaliers, who defeated the Orlando Magic in seven games before being eliminated by the Celtics.
This victory against the Magic was the Cavaliers’ first without LeBron James in their lineup since 1993.
2024-05-23 14:42:00
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