J.B. Bickerstaff to interview for Detroit Pistons head coach vacancy
Detroit could be turning to Bickerstaff to rebuild their culture.
Former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff might not have to wait long to get back onto the sidelines. Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting that the Detroit Pistons are set to interview Bickerstaff for their opening after recently moving on from Monty Williams.
ESPN Sources: The Detroit Pistons have permission to interview Dallas assistant Sean Sweeney and Minnesota assistant Micah Nori for newly vacant coaching job. Pistons are also planning to interview former Cleveland coach JB Bickerstaff, who'll be available to meet sooner than the…
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 20, 2024
Bickerstaff makes much more sense in a situation like Detroit’s compared to the one he just left. He is a logical fit for a team in desperate need of a direction and a culture to build around. While player development isn’t something that Bickerstaff necessarily excelled in, he was able to turn around a messy situation in Cleveland that saw three different head coaches in the previous season and a half. That situation isn’t too dissimilar to what Detroit is currently dealing with.
Like Cleveland in 2020, Detroit has some high draft picks on their team that aren’t fitting into a team concept. There’s no foundation for them to fall back on leaving them aimless. Building a foundation is something Bickerstaff has shown he can help do.
Bickerstaff ended his time in Cleveland with a 170-159 record over five seasons. He improved the Cavs’ win total the three seasons before the previous ones. Bickerstaff has had some rough moments in the playoffs, specifically 2023 against the New York Knicks, but he did as much as he could with an injured group this past season.
Bickerstaff grew out of his fit in Cleveland. He progressed the team to the next level of their development cycle. The Pistons should be looking for someone to do the same. Bickerstaff would make a lot of sense there if given the opportunity.