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Report: Former Rockets and Grizzlies Head Coach Says It Would Be an ‘Honor’ to Work With Cavs

J.B. Bickerstaff and Coach Fizdale

The Cleveland Cavaliers are continuing to consider candidates to fill their head coaching position, which has been open for the past three weeks, after the team and Larry Drew mutually agreed to part ways.

One of the most prominent individuals mentioned, former Memphis Grizzlies and Houston Rockets head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, is making very clear that he’d be honored to be offered the job.

Bickerstaff spoke to NBA Radio on Sirius XM and explained why after being dismissed twice as a head coach, he’d be willing to take on the challenge of a team coming off a 19-63 season:

“They’re trying to build an organization the right way and it would be an honor to have an opportunity to work with that group.”

One personal reason why he also wants the job stems from the fact that his father, longtime NBA assistant Bernie Bickerstaff, is currently serving as a senior advisor for the Cavaliers. That connection has offered him some insight into how the Cavaliers are run.

“I know the quality of people that they have there,” Bickerstaff said. “I’ll let my agent handle all the conversations between the teams and that type of stuff, but I think they have a group of people in the front office that are trying to do things the right way.”

The Cavaliers are looking for a younger coach who can help with their extensive rebuilding that began this past season. The 40-year-old Bickerstaff fits the bill, having gone 37-34 with the Rockets after replacing Kevin McHale in 2015.

After he wasn’t given that job on a full-time basis, he moved onto the Grizzlies, where he replaced David Fizdale and was dismissed last month after compiling a 48-97 record.

Bickerstaff would be the eighth different head coach in the 14-year tenure of Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, with Mike Brown doing two different tours of duty. Despite that seeming lack of stability, Bickerstaff seems ready to embrace the challenge of rebuilding the team into a championship contender.

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