The Cleveland Cavaliers recently fired head coach JB Bickerstaff after their second-round playoff exit against the Boston Celtics.
Bickerstaff’s tenure with the Cavaliers spanned five years, with the team missing the playoffs in his first three seasons and losing in the first round last season.
According to The Athletic’s Joe Vardon, Shams Charania, and Jason Lloyd, Donovan Mitchell “did not have great confidence” in JB Bickerstaff. This lack of confidence was reportedly shared by other players, raising concerns about Bickerstaff’s ability to lead the team in the future.
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported that the decision to fire Bickerstaff was “an inevitable move” by the Cavs to appease Mitchell for him to sign an extension.
Despite the Cavaliers’ improvement under Bickerstaff, his teams struggled after the All-Star break in each of the last three seasons. This pattern contributed to the decision to part ways with him, as the team sought a more reliable and confident leadership.
