Cleveland Cavaliers: 5 long-term candidates to replace head coach John Beilein

4. J.B. Bickerstaff

As of right now, it feels like Bickerstaff is a stopgap option masquerading as the next “long-term answer, we promise this time!” Remember, Beilein was given a whopping five-year contract, and had to leave $12 million on the table to get out of the situation just nine months later.

Anyone who’s simply assuming Bickerstaff will be the perfect fit and long-term solution hasn’t been paying attention to J.B.’s last two tenures or how the Cavs operate in general.

With that being said, as much as his 48-97 record at the helm of the Grizz was less than stellar, perhaps the third time will actually be the charm for Bickerstaff. The plan with hiring Beilein was apparently always to install Bickerstaff as the eventual successor, and while it’s coming much sooner than anyone expected, Cavs players reportedly started turning to him when they got frustrated with Beilein.

Despite his 15-48 record with Memphis in his first season in charge, the Grizz improved by 18 wins the following year, helping set them on their current course for a playoff spot in 2019-20.

The problem with immediately promoting an interim to full-time head coach is we have no evidence of how this will turn out. Maybe the Cavs’ trust in Bickerstaff during Beilein’s tenure will translate to on-court improvement. Bickerstaff has to navigate between continuing to lose while developing the youngsters and caving to his own priorities and playing the veterans just to pick up a few more wins.

Whatever the case, the Cavs have to get this right. If they empower Bickerstaff, he has to be the guy for the next 2-4 years and oversee this rebuild. If they make the wrong choice and commit to someone who’s ultimately ousted a year or two down the road, then the turnover and instability will doom the youth movement before it even gets a chance to take flight.