The Cavaliers' locker room was a mess before they traveled to Boston in the second round of the playoffs and coach JB Bickerstaff's tactics looked to be the cause.
He lost the respect of the dressing room and veteran players three months before the start of the season according to the report Athletic.
“But Bickerstaff's tenure was hampered by the decline of the post-All-Star break every three years and the collapse of the Play-In in 2022,” the company said. “Last year, the Cavs entered the playoffs as number 4 and were eliminated by the New York Knicks in five games.
“Bickerstaff's second guess started there. Many veterans in the Cavs locker room are frustrated with Bickerstaff for treating the Cavs like a young team to learn, instead of a team ready to compete. They were also disenchanted with the Cavs' offense last spring and the first half of this season. [Donovan] Mitchell was among them. Players would leave practice and morning shoot-around wondering aloud: 'Why did we do that? What have we achieved' – we are puzzled by the lack of structure and intensity in training.”
Another source compared Bickerstaff to former Philadelphia 76ers coach Brett Brown, who never got past the second round in Philly with a young Joel Embiid.
“Several other players, privately and publicly, have questioned Bickerstaff's tactics, rotations, minutes allocation, schemes, in-game management, preparation and training practices in various areas,” Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor wrote. “One wonders if he can help take this business to another level, with one source using a comparison with former 76ers coach Brett Brown, who led Philadelphia through The Process but was eventually taken over by Doc Rivers. Is Bickerstaff the right coach for this team?”
Fedor also confirmed what many have long suspected – the breakdown of Bickerstaff's relationship with Donovan Mitchell.
“There have also been rumblings of a strained relationship between Bickerstaff and Mitchell — and with Mitchell's contract status looming this offseason, it's fair to wonder how much of an impact that might have on Cleveland's decision,” Fedor said.
It's safe to say, Bickerstaff's career is well and truly in jeopardy this offseason.
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