Cavs give coach Bickerstaff’s contract extension
The Cavaliers decided they'd found the right leader for their young, up-andcoming team and made a stronger commitment to him by signing coach J.B. Bickerstaff to a multi-year contract extension.
A league source confirmed the new deal runs through the 2026-27 season, terms first reported by ESPN.
Bickerstaff, 42, was promoted from associate head coach Feb. 19, 2020, when John Beilein, plucked from the University of Michigan, stepped down after a 14-40 start. Cavs general manager Koby Altman has said the plan when Bickerstaff was hired in May 2019 was for him to be the coach-in-waiting, but that happened quicker than the front office expected.
Since then, Bickerstaff's Cavs have posted a 46-69 record. Entering Sunday's game against the Toronto Raptors, they were 19-13, and their defensive rating (103.5) was one of the tops in the league after they ranked 25th in 202021.
The Cavs' start is their best since 2017-18, when they opened 23-9 in the final season of Lebron James' second stint in Cleveland.
Building around center Jarrett Allen, center/forward Evan Mobley, forward Lauri Markkanen and point guard Darius Garland, Cleveland had amassed a road record of 10-6, already more victories in away games than they posted in any of the previous three seasons.
“J.B. Bickerstaff is, with all certainty, the right head coach to lead this franchise into what we believe is a very promising future,” Altman said in a statement. “The decision to extend J.B. is not based solely on the early success of this season, but rather a body of work since his arrival to Cleveland.
“His leadership style, coaching experience and commitment to player development has instilled a growing confidence that resonates across our entire organization. We continue to see innovative and strategic examples of his impact on this roster, coupled by his unique ability to build upon a culture that leads to sustainable success.”
The Cavs went 5-6 under Bickerstaff in 2019-20 and 22-50 last season before taking a major leap forward in 2021-22 with the addition of Mobley, the third overall draft pick and leading Rookie of the Year candidate.
Cavs five-time All-star forward Kevin Love, who spent three seasons with then-assistant Bickerstaff with the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2008-11, was thrilled with the news.
"Yessir!!! Much deserved," Love tweeted, "Love and respect for the Bickerstaff family!!!" It was followed by an emoji of a line trending upward.
Bickerstaff had prior NBA coaching experience, leading the Memphis Grizzlies to a 33-49 record in 2018-19 after taking over as the interim coach for the final 63 games (15-48) the year before.
He served as interim coach of the Houston Rockets in 2015-16 and guided them to a 37-34 finish and a playoff berth.