The Cleveland Cavaliers have been riddled with controversy the past couple of months. It all started when a report emerged that head coach John Beilein had referred to his players as “thugs” during a team film session. Beilein went on to claim that he misspoke and had originally intended to say “slugs.”
But the damage was already irreparable by that point. During the All-Star break, rumors surfaced that Beilein and the Cavs were preparing to part ways, a move that was made official just a few days later, with Beilein apparently citing a more difficult transition to the NBA than expected, and thrust assistant coach J.B. Bickerstaff into the top role.
It was unclear at the time whether Bickerstaff would be considered as a permanent replacement, but it now appears he and the organization have come to terms on a multi-year deal.
#Cavs have agreed to a multi-year contract with head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, league sources tell @clevelanddotcom
— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) March 10, 2020
Woj later brought word that the deal was adding four years to his contract.
Cleveland and coach JB Bickerstaff's new contract extends four years — through the 2023-2024 season, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 10, 2020
This marks the third time Bickerstaff has been forced to step into the head coaching position after a firing. He previously faced similar situations in Memphis and Houston. The Cavs are now 5-5 since Bickerstaff has taken over the job, and the rumors coming out of the locker room, according to Fedor, are that the players are more receptive to his personality and coaching style.
Still, the Cavs have a long way to go to fight their way back to relevance, but this offers some much-needed stability as they look toward the future.
