After four seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff was informed that he had been fired by the team, making the Cavs yet another playoff team on the hunt for a new head coach ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season.
Although Bickerstaff expressed a desire to stay in Cleveland and seemed to do a pretty good job while being the leader on the sideline, the Cavaliers clearly wanted to go in another direction, even though there’s no big-name coach available on the open market right now other than Frank Vogel, who was recently fired by the Phoenix Suns.
With Bickerstaff on his way out, the Cavaliers brass will begin their search for a new head coach, with a number of potential candidates to vet and consider over the summer.
Although the search has only just begun, SportsBetting.AG has already released odds for candidates for the job, with James Borrego currently considered the favorite to be Bickerstaff’s successor in Cleveland via Evan Dammarell of Right Down Euclid.
Here are the top five most likely options for the #Cavs at head coach per @SportsBettingAG:
• James Borrego (+300)
• Sam Cassell (+400)
• Kenny Atkinson (+500)
• J.J. Reddick (+600)
• David Adelman (+700)— Evan Dammarell (@AmNotEvan) May 23, 2024
Along with Borrego, many of the usual suspects have been mentioned as being in the running for the Los Angeles Lakers coaching vacancy, namely Sam Cassell, Kenny Atkinson, JJ Redick, and David Adelman.
At this point in time, it is unclear whether this will be a quick hire like the Suns with Mike Budenholzer or a drawn-out process like the Lakers appear to be doing with their search for Darvin Ham’s successor in Los Angeles.
Also, it remains to be seen if Donovan Mitchell will be involved in hiring a new head coach, as he will likely be offered a contract extension this summer.
NEXT:
Keyshawn Johnson Doesn’t Hold Back His Thoughts About J.B. Bickerstaff
