With the Cleveland Cavaliers moving on from JB Bickerstaff, it will be interesting to see who the organization will tab as the next person to hopefully take them to the next level.

Bickerstaff did a good job elevating them from a team who was a perennial lottery team into one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference but it was never thought he could be the coach to lead them to another potential NBA championship.

Now some in the media have said that the crop of potential head coaches available aren’t strong and that’s why the Cavaliers had some thoughts about bringing Bickerstaff back but there are some intriguing options out there.

Former Head Coaches

Kenny Atkinson (Warriors assistant, former Nets head coach): It’s a question whether or not Atkinson is a good NBA coach but in terms of building a good culture and developing, Atkinson showed that during his time with the Nets bringing them back to the playoffs in the 2019 season before having to part ways with the team midway through the 2020 season, the first of the Kyrie/KD with Brooklyn.

Atkinson has spent the last several years as an assistant under Ty Lue and Steve Kerr on the Clippers and Warriors respectively and has been connected to several coaching openings since his departure from Brooklyn.

Dave Joerger (Bucks assistant, former Grizzlies and Kings head coach): It’s possible that the Cavaliers look to the former head coach as they brought him into the organization as a coaching consultant last offseason before he reunited with Doc Rivers on the Milwaukee sidelines.

Joerger led Memphis to three playoff appearances during his three years as head coach and had Sacramento heading into the right direction before he was fired after the 2018-19 season.

Assistant Coaches

Sam Cassell, Boston Celtics: The longtime player turned assistant coach has long been thought of as a potential NBA head coach but hasn’t received the opportunity yet.

Since retiring as a player after the 2008-09 season, Cassell has spent the last 14 years as an assistant coach with Washington, the Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia and currently with Boston as an assistant coach working under Flip Saunders, Doc Rivers, and Joe Mazzulla.

NBA writer Marc Stein wrote recently that Cassell is well respected in locker rooms and has a good relationship with star players and how to connect with them. Cassell is also represented by Klutch Sports which could give him an edge potentially with not only the Cavaliers but the Los Angeles Lakers, who are also currently searching for a new head coach.

Chris Quinn, Miami Heat: Much like Cassell, Chris Quinn went from playing in the NBA straight into coaching after an eight-year playing career including a stint with the Cavaliers at the end of the 2012-13 season.

He has spent the last decade as an assistant under Erik Spoelstra on the Miami Heat coaching staff. Former NBA player Udonis Haslem has said that when Quinn talks in the huddle he sounds just like Spoelstra in terms of coaching, delivering his message and his relationship with players. Quinn has been linked to the Lakers opening as well.

Johnnie Bryant, New York Knicks: Bryant has been a longtime assistant coach with both the Utah Jazz and currently with the New York Knicks. He also has a personal connection with Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell.

Mitchell credits Bryant with his personal growth as an NBA player during the two’s time together in Utah that helped mold Mitchell into an All-Star caliber player. If Bryant has had a hand in Jalen Brunson’s development into the same type of player in New York, that could be another notch on Bryant’s resume if he gets opportunities to interview for a head coaching position.

David Adelman, Denver Nuggets: The son of former NBA head coach Rick Adelman, David has established himself as one of the young, up and coming assistant coaches in the NBA as the lead assistant for Mike Malone on the Nuggets coaching staff.

Many of the players including three-time MVP Nikola Jokic have praised the 40-year-old for his forward thinking ability to adapt to what a defense is throwing towards the Nuggets offense and it shows with their success over the last several seasons including winning the 2022-23 NBA Championship.

Micah Nori, Minnesota Timberwolves: An Ohio native and long time assistant coach, Nori has been the lead assistant under Chris Finch for the Timberwolves since the two were hired by Minnesota back in 2021.

Nori has spent time under Dwane Casey in both Toronto and Detroit as well as time under Mike Malone in Denver. Finch has praised Nori for his ability of in-game management and the way he helps with rotations and situational awareness. He’s also been labeled a players’ coach and the way he has established relationships with players on the Timberwolves’ roster.

Former NBA Player

JJ Redick, current ESPN analyst: This feels like this has been the sexy pick around the league for potential head coaching candidates because of what Redick has brought in terms of analysis to the game of basketball whether it’s on his podcasts “The Old Man and the Three” and “Mind The Game” with LeBron James or in his current role with ESPN.

Redick is currently considered the favorite for the Los Angeles Lakers job but has been linked to the Cleveland Cavaliers job even before Bickerstaff was let go.

College Coaches

Jay Wright, former Villanova head coach: Dan Gilbert has taken swings at the college ranks with reported overtures to Tom Izzo and John Calipari over the years. There was also the John Beilein experience which ended in a very ugly controversial way.

The way college athletics have changed with NIL and how that affects recruiting, it could be a good time to pull a big name out of the college ranks.

If Gilbert wants to take another big swing, why not go do it with a coach who is in retirement but still has plenty to give to the game of basketball in Jay Wright. He flirted with the NBA back in the late 2000s by nearly taking the Philadelphia 76ers job but chose to stay at Villanova but his name has always floated as a potential NBA coaching candidate

It’s unclear if Wright even has the itch to return to coaching as it seems he loves his analyst role with CBS during March Madness but if he did ever return to the sidelines, the NBA might be the likely one.