Pistons hit their target, hiring J.B. Bickerstaff as head coach

The Pistons have their new leader on the sidelines under Trajan Langdon. Detroit is hiring former Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bicketstaff on a five-year deal, according to ESPN .

Bickerstaff led a young Cavaliers team from 22 wins three years ago to back-to-back playoff appearances after the addition of Donovan Mitchell, cresting in a trip this year to the Eastern Conference semis. Cleveland was knocked out by the eventual champion Celtics, after which Bickerstaff was let go.

Per Adrian Wojnarowski, Bickerstaff was the first coach that Langdon and the Pistons pursued after moving on from Monty Williams, who was dismissed one year into a record-setting six-year $78.5 million deal following the worst season in franchise history. He landed the job over a field of candidates that included Mavericks assistant Sean Sweeney.

"He really sold this organization on his ability to not just develop young players, but coach veterans," Wojnarowski said . "Listen, Bickerstaff had an outstanding run, you saw the incremental improvement in Cleveland."

Bickerstaff, who was also head coach of the Grizzlies for parts of two seasons before joining the Cavs, will take over a young roster in Detroit headlined by Cade Cunningham and a slew of other recent lottery picks, including fifth overall selections in Ron Holland II, Ausar Thompson and Jaden Ivey.

He will be charged with helping that group grow, while bringing the Pistons back to competitiveness after they went 74-244 in the last four seasons under former GM Troy Weaver.