Cleveland Cavaliers and JB Bickerstaff agree to multi-year deal for Head Coach role
JB Bickerstaff has been handed a multi-year deal as Head Coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers after he led a promising 10-game start (where the Cavaliers went 5-5) to his stint. While he was fired by the Grizzlies back in 2018-19, the 41-year-old started off this year as an Associate Head Coach on former coach John Beilein's staff.
After Beilein resigned as Cleveland's Head Coach on February 19, it was only fitting that Bickerstaff be promoted to the Head Coach position for the near future. GM Koby Altman praised JB's resume and applauded the respect he has garnered so far:
"We are very fortunate to have someone of J.B.’s caliber and basketball pedigree lead our franchise as head coach,” said Cavaliers General Manager Koby Altman. “His wealth of experience, coupled with the respect he has garnered around the NBA and with this team, has made for a seamless transition from associate head coach to head coach."
The Memphis Grizzlies recorded the third-best scoring defense in the league, while playing under Bickerstaff last year. The team also held 10 opponents (league-best) under 90 points last season and went undefeated in those games.
Bickerstaff was the youngest assistant coach in the NBA at age 25 when he began with the Bobcats in 2004-05, following in his father's footsteps who also was the youngest assistant coach when he joined at the age of 29.