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'A very promising future': Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff signs contract extension through 2026-27
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- 'A very promising future': Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff signs contract extension through 2026-27
The Cavaliers decided they'd found the right leader for their young, up-and-coming team and made a stronger commitment to him Saturday, announcing they had signed 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.
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Bickerstaff, 42, was promoted from associate head coach on Feb. 19, 2020, when coach 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. This season they are 19-13, fifth in the Eastern Conference going into Saturday's play, and their defensive rating (103.5) has risen to third in the league from 25th in 2020-21. They are holding opponents to the second-lowest scoring average (101.4) in the NBA.
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.
The Cavs have found pieces to build around in center Jarrett Allen , center/forward Evan Mobley , the third overall pick in 2021 , forward Lauri Markkanen , and point guard Darius Garland .
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"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 leading Rookie of the Year candidate.
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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.
Love tweeted, "Yessir!!! Much deserved. Love and respect for the Bickerstaff family!!!" It was followed by an emoji of a line trending upward.
Bickerstaff's father, Bernie, is a senior assistant to Altman and has been in the league for over 45 years as a team executive and head coach.
The Cavs currently have eight players in health and safety protocols for COVID-19 and saw their six-game winning streak snapped Wednesday in Boston.
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But they still have the league's third-best record (10-3) since Nov. 27, and those 10 have come by 10 or more points, the franchise's longest such double-digit streak since Nov. 13-Dec. 9, 2008. Twelve of their 19 victories have been against teams with a winning record and 14 victories have been by at least 10 points, trailing only Golden State (18) and Utah (17).
Their points-per-game differential of plus 5.4 ranked fourth in the league and tops in the Eastern Conference as of Friday.
The Cavs stand 10-6 on the road, with more victories away from Cleveland than they have posted in any of the previous three seasons.
Bickerstaff had prior NBA head coaching experience, leading the Memphis Grizzlies to a 33-49 record during the 2018-19 season and taking over as the interim in the final 63 games (15-48) the year before.
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He also served as interim coach of the Houston Rockets in 2015-16 and guided them to a 37-34 finish and a playoff berth. Bickerstaff has also worked for the Timberwolves (2007-11) and Charlotte Bobcats (2004-07).
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Cavs at www.beaconjournal.com/cavs. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MRidenourABJ.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Cavaliers give coach J.B. Bickerstaff a contract extension
