Cavaliers don’t intend to fire head coach J.B. Bickerstaff
After a promising season, the Cleveland Cavaliers disappointingly fell in the first round of the playoffs to the New York Knicks.
The quick postseason exit quickly led to rising chatter that head coach J.B. Bickerstaff could be on the hot seat to lose his job. However, President of basketball operations Koby Altman swiftly shut down that notion.
“End that speculation,” Altman said in a text message to The Associated Press via ESPN. “He’s our head coach and we have a lot of support and respect for the job he’s done.”
Read: Aaron Rodgers Bids Farewell To Green Bay Packers
Bickerstaff helped guide the Cavaliers to their first playoff appearance since LeBron James’ departure five years ago. However, his status became a talking point due to the manner in which Cleveland was eliminated from the postseason.
The Knicks dominated the series, while the Cavaliers’ top-ranked defense didn’t play a factor. New York dictated the series to easily cruise to the next round in five games even with star big man Julius Randle suffering an ankle injury and reinjuring it the close-out Game 5 win.
Despite that, the Cavaliers have taken a significant step forward toward being a factor in the Eastern Conference. The young roster played like an inexperienced team against the Knicks.
Want $250 to bet on NBA futures?
Cleveland possesses a strong core group led by Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley. The franchise’s expectation should take another leap toward possible NBA contention, especially after winning 51 regular-season games and earning the ranking as the league’s top defense.
If the Cavaliers struggle to take that next step, then chatter around Bickerstaff’s job status will formulate.
