The Detroit Pistons have announced that J.B. Bickerstaff will be their new head coach, as reported by Adrian Wojnarowski. Bickerstaff, who was let go by the Cleveland Cavaliers in May after they were eliminated from the playoffs, will become the third head coach in as many seasons for the Pistons.
This hiring is part of a busy offseason for the team, which also saw a new president of basketball operations, Trajan Langdon, appointed in May and a parting of ways with long-time general manager Troy Weaver shortly after. Following these changes, head coach Monty Williams was fired just a few weeks before Bickerstaff’s hiring.
Bickerstaff will be taking over a team in the midst of a long rebuilding process. The Pistons have not made the playoffs since 2019 and have only won more than 20 games once in the past five seasons. Their most recent season, finishing with a 14-68 record, set a franchise record for the fewest wins and included a 28-game losing streak, which was an NBA record.
It will be Bickerstaff’s responsibility to lead the Pistons through this rebuilding phase and work towards a more successful future for the team. This is an opportunity for him to showcase his coaching skills and prove his worth as he takes on this new challenge with one of NBA’s struggling teams.
