The Detroit Pistons have hired J.B. Bickerstaff as their next head coach, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
J.B. Bickerstaff has agreed on a five-year deal to become the Pistons’ coach, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/TYz9VJMwYC
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2024
The 45-year-old will sign a five-year deal with the Pistons, Wojnarowski adds.
Pistons Hire Monty Williams’ Head Coach Replacement
Bickerstaff coached the Cleveland Cavaliers for the last four-plus seasons, but was dismissed after his hobbled Cavs were eliminated from the 2024 NBA Playoffs. Cleveland has since brought in former Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson as his replacement. As the coaching carousel turns, Bickerstaff finds himself picking up the pieces left by former Pistons head coach Monty Williams.
Williams led Detroit to a 14-68 record in 2023-24, the worst in franchise history. This included an NBA-record 28 straight losses, a major down point of the season. Even before the Pistons were looking to hire a new president of basketball operations after their troubling 2023-24 campaign, Williams’s job was in jeopardy.
Brought in to accelerate Detroit’s rebuild, Williams all but completely failed in that task. First, he prioritized the playing time and development of Killian Hayes rather than Jaden Ivey, the 2022 No. 5 pick. He then moved Ausar Thompson, the 2023 No. 5 pick, to the bench. On top of all of that, he misused both, having them play primarily off-ball despite them being on-ball playmakers.
With Jalen Duren —the 13th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft —failing to make strides in his defensive awareness, it also brings to question what Williams was teaching them.
J.B. Bickerstaff, The Developer
Now, with Bickerstaff, they have a coach who may offer a better player development program.
To start, Bickerstaff’s work with Cavs center Jarrett Allen inspires confidence about what he can get out of Duren. Though Allen had a high defensive floor, Bickerstaff helped him develop at both ends. Indeed, Allen became a consistent scorer in the low-post while excelling as a shot-blocker. With Duren’s physical tools and Bicketstaff’s guidance, he should make better rotations and contest more shots.
Bickerstaff’s experience with Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, and even Collin Sexton is notable as well.
In Garland, the Cavs have a somewhat traditional point guard. He can score from anywhere on the court but is dedicated to the art of distribution. Mitchell and Sexton were more assertive in attacking the basket. This is a solid foil for what Detroit has in Cade Cunningham, a three-level scorer and their primary facilitator, and Ivey.
If Bickerstaff can get them to gel, then the Pistons don’t have to move Ivey. This is to their benefit, as the questions surrounding Ivey are less about his talent and more about his fit alongside Cunningham.
Considering Bickerstaff’s work with Isaac Okoro, there’s also reason to believe he can help Thompson and 2025 No. 5 pick Ron Holland find their 3-point stroke. To that point, Okoro shot a career-high 39.1 percent from 3 in 2023-24. The process of him becoming a reliable outside shooter took a couple of seasons. However, with renowned shooting coach Fred Vinson in town, Detroit may not have to wait that long.
