The John Beilein experience for the Cleveland Cavaliers lasted 54 games. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Cavs and Beilein negotiated a financial settlement that will pay him a portion of the remaining money on his 2019-20 contract on Tuesday.
Many are wondering how someone could leave a job just 54 games into a season. However, per ESPN’s report, Beilein was “miserable” with the Cavs:
Friends and associates of Beilein have described him as unhappy — even miserable — with the move to the Cavaliers. The losing that comes with a rebuild, as well as several skirmishes in public and private with players, has played a part in the rapid deterioration of tenure, sources said.
The Cavs went 14-40 during the first half of the season. That was the worst mark in the Eastern Conference.
The Cavs will now promote J.B. Bickerstaff to interim head coach. Bickerstaff was initially hired as part of an eventual succession plan with Beilein, who struggled in the job both on the court and in the locker room.
The second post-LeBron James era is going just like the first one: terribly. At least the first one netted the Cavs Kyrie Irving, though. The second one has seen a Tyronn Lue firing, a Kevin Love outburst at GM Koby Altman, a weird Andre Drummond trade and now the Beilein story.