J.B. Bickerstaff's tenure as head coach of the Cavaliers will end with a 170-159 regular season record. Cleveland will part ways with their coach, in part due to his underwhelming 6-11 record in the playoffs, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Thursday.
The Cavs did win a playoff series this year, but it took a brutal seven games against the Magic where Cleveland's offense looked ineffective. They lost to the Celtics in just five games in the second round. Last season, Bickerstaff looked badly outmatched by Tom Thibodeau in a first-round exit. The writing was on the wall that his time was coming short.
This Cavs job should be an attractive one. Cleveland has a solid roster that finished fourth in the Eastern Conference. They're a young team with upside to get a lot better.
There will be some pressure, too. The Cavs need to win, because Donovan Mitchell could be a flight risk if things go badly.
Here are the top candidates for the opening.
MORE: Donovan Mitchell trade rumors: What the Knicks, Lakers, and Heat have to offer
Cavaliers coaching candidates for 2024
JJ Redick
Regular season record: n/a
Playoff record: n/a
Redick has been a hot candidate this summer despite having no prior coaching experience. He interviewed for the opening with the Hornets and is in contention for the Lakers' job.
The 15-year NBA veteran is a good communicator who relates well to the players in the league, and he has a good grasp of X's and O's based on his podcasts and color commentary. And it doesn't hurt that he has a great relationship with LeBron James, who could be a free agent this summer.
MORE: LeBron James hasn't closed the door on a Cavaliers reunion. Here's how it could happen
Kenny Atkinson
Regular season record: 118-190 (.383)
Playoff record: 1-4 (.200)
Atkinson should be in contention for the job because of his ties to Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert, per Wojnarowski. Those three had a nice run in Brooklyn, taking one of the worst teams in the league to the playoffs.
Atkinson is currently an assistant coach with the Warriors. He's had head coaching interest, turning down the job with the Hornets at the last minute in 2023. He's known as a great player-development coach who is a staunch analytics advocate.
James Borrego
Regular season record: 148-183 (.447)
Playoff record: 0-0
Borrego is considered a leading candidate, per The Athletic's Shams Charania. He is a great X's and O's coach who overachieved with the Hornets before getting fired for a failure to make the playoffs. That franchise has tanked since his dismissal, showing that it might not have been his fault.
Borrego did get his team into the Play-In Tournament, where they were routed twice. He has had more postseason success as an assistant, winning two rings with Gregg Popovich. He also helped get the Pelicans into the playoffs this season while serving as their associate head coach under Willie Green.
MORE: 10 best available head coaches, including JJ Redick and Becky Hammon
Sam Cassell
Regular season record: n/a
Playoff record: n/a
Cassell is another 15-year NBA veteran. The former point guard was always known as a high-feel player on the court, and that has translated into another 15 years as an assistant coach with the Wizards, Clippers, Sixers, and Celtics.
Cassell has a great reputation. He was named one of the best assistant coaches in the league in John Schuhmann's annual GM survey, receiving seven percent of the vote. He's interviewed for numerous positions over the years. He will likely get a chance at a head-coaching job some time in the next few years, whether it be in Cleveland or somewhere else.
