The Cavaliers are promoting assistant coach Greg Buckner to the role of associate head coach under J.B. Bickerstaff, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Buckner, 45, became an assistant with the Cavs in November 2020 after serving in a similar role with the Rockets and Grizzlies. He joined Houston as a player development coach in 2011 and spent five years there.
He is known for helping to elevate the Cavs’ defense to among the top five in the NBA last season, as Wojnarowski noted.
He also is 1-0 as acting head coach of the Cavs, replacing Bickerstaff for one game and getting a 121-105 win over the Bulls in April 2021.
Prior to becoming an NBA coach, Buckner spent time in the NBA as journeyman shooting guard from 1999-2008 — playing for the Mavericks (on two occasions), 76ers, Nuggets, Timberwolves and Grizzlies.
The Cavs are coming off a 48-34 season in which they finished with the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference. They failed to make the playoffs, however, after losing a pair of play-in tournament games.
Looking for the latest NBA Insider News & Rumors?
Be sure to follow Hoops Wire on TWITTER and FACEBOOK for breaking NBA News and Rumors for all 30 teams!
