Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff is not guaranteed a return to Cleveland despite his team advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinals.
According to multiple reports, Bickerstaff and his assistant coaches are still being evaluated and not promised they’ll be back with the Cavs next season.
Back-to-back playoff appearances and a first-round series win over the Orlando Magic in seven games are all working in Bickerstaff’s favor. He said Cleveland is where he hopes to be going forward.
Asked after the season-ending loss at Boston on Wednesday if he expects to coach the Cavaliers next season, Bickerstaff didn’t blink.
“I mean, no one’s told me I’m not. So, I’ll keep showing up ’til they tell me not to,” he said.
Bickerstaff, 45, has a 170-159 record in four-plus seasons with the Cavaliers. His playoff record in Cleveland is 6-11.
There are roster decisions to be made before the end of June. The pendulum could swing on the decision of All-Star Donovan Mitchell, who has one season left on his contract and a player option for 2025-26. He’s eligible to sign a four-year deal worth more than $200 million this offseason if he opts to commit to staying in Cleveland.
Mitchell, 27, averaged 26.6 points, 6.1 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game in the regular season. He didn’t play in Game 4 or Game 5 of the playoff series against the Celtics because of a calf injury.
“We’ve got good individual players, we have high-character players that are concerned about winning,” Bickerstaff said of keeping Mitchell. “And anytime you have that, you’re gonna give yourself an opportunity. I would love to see what we look like when we’re whole for an entire season, what pressure we can put on the league from that standpoint.”
–Field Level Media
