J.B. Bickerstaff fired by Cavaliers; Cleveland will begin search for new head coach

CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers were already entering a summer with a mountain of questions and unclear paths, mostly regarding the future status of Donovan Mitchell. Now, they'll also be entering the summer looking for their next head coach.

The Cavs have parted ways with coach J.B. Bickerstaff after their second-round playoff series loss to the Boston Celtics. ESPN first reported the news, and it has been confirmed by the team.

Bickerstaff was at the helm of the Cavs for four full seasons and parts of a fifth, compiling an overall record of 170-159, including back-to-back seasons with at least 48 wins.

“J.B. is a well-respected NBA coach and an incredible human-being,” said Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman in a statement. “Over the past four years, he helped establish a culture that progressively drove players to become the best versions of themselves. Decisions like these are never easy, particularly when you look back at where this franchise rebuild started 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. We owe a ton of gratitude for everything J.B. has contributed 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 endeavors.”

Bickerstaff was promoted from his role as associate head coach in February 2020, when he took over for John Beilein, who stepped down after a 14-40 start. The Cavs then gave Bickerstaff a contract extension through the 2026-27 season in December 2021.

But after two consecutive playoff runs that ended quicker than the team would have liked, the Cavs are moving on and will be searching for their next coach.

Bickerstaff led the Cavs out of the darkness after LeBron James' second exit from Cleveland. He guided Cleveland from a rebuilding team into a contender in the East, with almost every major milestone of success hitting much sooner than anyone might have expected.

He also guided the Cavs through a brutal stretch this season when they were without multiple key stars in what might have been his best feat as a coach while he was in Cleveland.

But, in the end, the Cavs didn't see the kind of success for which they have been searching in the playoffs when it matters most. They lost in opening round a year ago. They survived a first-round series this year by winning a Game 7 at home before losing to the Celtics in five games.

Despite Bickerstaff's success in leading the Cavs through each stage of a heavy rebuild, the lack of playoff wins wasn't enough for the team to see it through with Bickerstaff for one more year.

Donovan Mitchell contract situation a top priority for Cavs, in addition to coach search after firing of J.B. Bickerstaff

That search will coincide with questions about Mitchell's future status.

Mitchell can opt out of his contract after the 2024-25 season, meaning if the Cavs don't think he'll sign a long-term extension to remain in Cleveland, they likely will have no choice but to trade him this summer and acquire as much returning talent as possible before he can simply opt out and walk away.

Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis1@gannett.com. Follow him on Threads at @ByRyanLewis.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cavs fire coach J.B. Bickerstaff after playoff exit vs. Celtics