Cavaliers fire coach JB Bickerstaff after five seasons

Despite the franchise’s first place in the Eastern Conference semi-finals for six seasons, the Cleveland Cavaliers fired coach JB Bickerstaff on Thursday morning.

Bickerstaff, 45, has guided the Cavaliers through a rebuild, winning 99 regular-season games over the past two seasons, but the franchise now embarks on a search it hopes will find a coach to take Cleveland further. deep into the Eastern Conference playoffs.

After replacing John Beilein as interim coach in 2020, Bickerstaff was 170-159 (.517) in five seasons with the Cavaliers.

Cleveland was the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference with a 48-34 record, defeating the Orlando Magic in a seven-game series in the first round. Boston beat Cleveland 4-1 in the conference semifinals as center Jarrett Allen and All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell missed the final two games.

Cleveland wants a new approach and president of basketball operations Koby Altman and general manager Mike Gansey will embark on a coaching search.

“JB is a highly respected NBA coach and an incredible human being,” Altman said in a statement. “Over the past four years, he has helped establish a culture that has progressively pushed players to become the best versions of themselves. Decisions like these are never easy, especially considering the “Where franchise rebuilding began under his leadership, the NBA is a unique business that sometimes requires aggressive risk-taking to move a franchise forward and ultimately compete for championships.”

The Cavaliers have a deep talent base with All-Star guards Mitchell and Darius Garland and a frontcourt consisting of Allen and Evan Mobley.