The Cleveland Cavaliers relieved head coach J.B. Bickerstaff of his duties on Thursday after four-plus seasons on the job, and oddsmakers already have their favorites as far as who the next individual will be to guide the team moving forward.
New Orleans Pelicans associate head coach James Borrego is currently the betting favorite at +300, followed by Boston Celtics assistant Sam Cassell and Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson, with Borrego and Atkinson having both been a head coach in the past.
Cleveland Cavaliers Next Head Coach Betting Odds
| Name | Odds |
|---|---|
| James Borrego | +300 |
| Sam Cassell | +400 |
| Kenny Atkinson | +500 |
| JJ Redick | +600 |
| David Adelman | +700 |
| Chris Quinn | +800 |
| Phil Handy | +900 |
| Terry Stotts | +1000 |
| Frank Vogel | +1400 |
| Adrian Griffin | +1600 |
| Mike D'Antoni | +2000 |
| Micah Nori | +3300 |
| Tyronn Lue | +3300 |
Odds as of May 24
Why Was J.B. Bickerstaff Fired As Head Coach Of The Cavaliers?
Bickerstaff took over the role during the 2019-20 season after the firing of former coach John Beilein. He would lead the Cavaliers to an overall record of 170-159 (.517) during his tenure and the first postseason appearances for the franchise since the LeBron James era.
Superstar guard Donovan Mitchell has one year and $35.8 million left on his current contract, but the plan is for the Cavaliers to meet with Mitchell after this year's Finals to negotiate a potential four-year, $208.5-million extension to remain in Cleveland. Following Bickerstaff's dismissal, it was reported by the Athletic's Joe Vardon, Shams Charania, and Jason Lloyd that Mitchell, along with other players on the roster, had lost a great deal of confidence in their coach.
It was also reported that Bickerstaff was nearly fired early during the regular season around the Thanksgiving holiday with the Cavaliers playing .500 basketball for the first month.
Cleveland eliminated the Orlando Magic in a competitive seven-game series with home-court advantage in the opening round of the 2024 playoffs, but was bounced in five games by the No. 1-seeded Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals after losing several key players due to injury.
The Cavaliers invested a great deal into initially acquiring Mitchell from the Jazz, sending them All-Star Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton, Ochai Agbaji, three first-round draft picks, and two pick swaps. If Mitchell had issues playing under Bickerstaff, and his presence could ultimately play a part in Mitchell potentially not inking an extension, then the decision had to be made.
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Borrego, Atkinson Considered "Leading Candidates"
The aforementioned report by the Athletic pegged both Borrego and Atkinson to be the frontrunners to secure the vacant position, which isn't necessarily reflected in the above odds as Cassell is currently favored ahead of Atkinson at the very least.
Borrego spent four years coaching the Charlotte Hornets from 2018 through 2022, accumulating a record of 138-163 (.458) with zero playoff berths. He currently has the fourth-most wins by a coach in Hornets history, and he's responsible for one of just two 40-win seasons by the franchise since the changeover from the Bobcats. His experience would only benefit him in Cleveland, and he was well-liked by his players during his time in Charlotte which should only help him while working with someone like Mitchell should he stay.
Atkinson, meanwhile, has history with Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen having coached him before when the two were with the Brooklyn Nets. In fact, part of the reason Atkinson was fired from that role was because he started Allen over DeAndre Jordan - a decision which has aged gracefully, to say the least. Brooklyn went 118-190 (.383) under Atkinson's regime, and he hasn't taken a heading coaching gig since 2020 having been an assistant with the Los Angeles Clippers and now the Warriors since.
