Cavaliers fire manager JB Bickerstaff after five seasons

The Cleveland Cavaliers fired head coach J.B. Bickerstaff on Thursday morning, despite reaching the Eastern Conference semifinals for the first time in six seasons.

Bickerstaff, 45, has led a rebuilding Cavaliers team to 99 regular-season wins over the past two seasons, but the franchise is now on a search to find a coach who can lead Cleveland to a deeper Eastern Conference playoff run.

Bickerstaff replaced John Beilein as interim coach in 2020 and compiled a 170-159 record (.517 winning percentage) in five seasons with the Cavaliers.

Cleveland finished as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference with a 48-34 record and defeated the Orlando Magic in an opening seven-game series. Boston, without center Jarrett Allen and All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell for the final two games, defeated Cleveland, 4-1, in the conference semifinals.

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

“JB is a well-respected coach in the NBA and a great human being,” Altman said in a statement. “Over the past four years, he has helped establish a culture that encourages players to gradually become their best selves. Decisions like this are never easy, especially as the franchise begins its rebuild 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 significant talent base with All-Star guards Mitchell and Darius Garland and a frontcourt of Allen and Evan Mobley.