The Cavaliers hire J. B. Bickerstaff as assistant coach

The Cleveland Cavaliers hired JB Bickerstaff as their associate head coach.

The Cavaliers will make Bickerstaff one of the highest-paid assistant coaches in the NBA, League sources said.

"JB has spent all his life in and around the game, and his knowledge of the league and basketball will bring a full spectrum of value to the team," said Cavaliers General Manager Koby Altman in a statement. Press. "His approach to coaching and everything happening on the ground is exactly the kind of perspective, commitment and integrity we want for the culture and growth we will be driving here."

Cleveland is working with Beilein – a very successful coach with 40 years of academic experience – to ease his transition to the professional game and target Bickerstaff as the key to that education.

"It was a very easy decision to add J.B. as the associate head coach," Beilein said in his release. "It is a respected and accomplished coach that I am very happy and fortunate to have next to me.When I spoke with JB, I quickly realized that we shared many of the same core values, principles and points on basketball coaching and team culture. " . "

Bickerstaff, the head coach of Memphis Grizzlies for a year or more, had discussed senior assistant roles with the Boston Celtics, the Philadelphia 76ers, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Sacramento Kings, but he met Beilein and general manager Koby Altman at the NBA Chicago project meeting and began gravitating towards recruiting the Cavaliers, sources said.

Bickerstaff had interviewed for the position of Head Coach at the Cavaliers at Altman before hiring Beilein. Bickerstaff's father, Bernie, a long-time coach and NBA executive, works as a consultant for the Cavaliers.

Bickerstaff, 40, had been an interim coach of the Houston Rockets (2015-2016), leading them into the playoffs and winning the Grizzlies position after spending most of 2017-18 as an interim post-referee. from David Fizdale. His career record is 85-131.

Cleveland enlisted Beilein, 66, on Friday after coaching for 12 seasons at the University of Michigan.