Former Cleveland Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff hired to lead Detroit Pistons

After being fired by the Cavaliers, J.B. Bickerstaff will still be an NBA head coach in the Eastern Conference's Central Division next season.

The Detroit Pistons are hiring Bickerstaff as their new coach, ESPN first reported Sunday. Bickerstaff agreed to a five-year contract to lead the Pistons, according to the report.

The Cavs fired Bickerstaff on May 23 and replaced him with Kenny Atkinson on June 24.

Bickerstaff went 170-159 and 6-11 in the playoffs in four-plus seasons as the head coach of the Cavs. He led the Cavs to the back-to-back playoff appearances before being discarded.

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In 2023, the Cavs made the playoffs for the first time since 2018 and the first time without LeBron James since 1998, but they fell 4-1 to the New York Knicks in the first round. This past season, the Cavs returned to the playoffs and won a series without James for the first time since 1993, beating the Orlando Magic 4-3. Then in the next round, they lost 4-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinals to the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics.

Bickerstaff has a proven track record of guiding a franchise out of rebuilding mode, and he'll need the experience with the Pistons. Detroit fired coach Monty Williams on June 19 after his lone season on the job. Last season, the Pistons had a 28-game losing streak and finished 14-68, the worst record in the NBA.

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Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.