Source: JB Bickerstaff Wasn’t Happy Getting Fired By Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers fired JB Bickerstaff this offseason and he wasn’t happy with that decision, an NBA source told Sam Amico of Hoops Wire.

Bickerstaff went 170-159 in the regular season and 6-11 in the playoffs with the Cavaliers, who hired Kenny Atkinson. 

“I can tell you Bickerstaff was none-too-pleased that the Cavs decided to part ways,” Amico reported. “He seemingly felt as if he deserved a few more seasons to finish what he started — much like the seven years Michael Malone got with the Denver Nuggets before finally winning a title. The Cavs felt otherwise and hired former Brooklyn Nets head coach and ex-Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson.”

Bickerstaff is the new head coach of the Detroit Pistons. The Cavaliers will see their old head coach multiple times next season since Detroit and Cleveland are in the same division. 

According to NBA insiders Shams Charania, Joe Vardon and Jason Lloyd of The Athletic, Cavaliers star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell didn’t have great confidence in Bickerstaff.

Mitchell, who signed a three-year extension with Cleveland this offseason, signed off on the Atkinson hire, sources told Hoops Wire. 

“Multiple league sources have said, for months, that Mitchell did not have great confidence in Bickerstaff, and he was not alone,” Charania, Vardon and Lloyd wrote. “Several players questioned Bickerstaff’s strategies, game management, practice habits and accountability measures, privately and publicly, throughout the season.”

The Cavaliers are banking on Atkinson to take the roster to another level. The front office hasn’t added any new players besides rookie Jaylon Tyson, the 20th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. 

Mitchell wasn’t the only player to extend with the Cavaliers this offseason, as big men Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley signed lucrative extensions as well. Darius Garland, a client of Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group, was pursued by multiple teams, but Cleveland rebuffed all trade offers for the point guard, sources told Hoops Wire.