First-year coach John Beilein is walking from the Cleveland Cavaliers after 54 games and will be replaced by associate head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Tuesday night.
League sources said that Beilein is expected to say goodbye to players and staff Wednesday afternoon and that Bickerstaff will direct his first practice Wednesday evening. The Cavaliers and Beilein negotiated a settlement on his contract, which was for $4.5 million annually over four years.
Beilein, 67, spent 41 years in the college ranks, the last 12 at Michigan, before jumping to the NBA this season to help direct the Cavs' rebuild. They have gone 14-40, the second-worst record in the league.
Bickerstaff, who played in college for the Gophers and was an assistant coach with the Timberwolves for four seasons, will be the Cavs' sixth coach in the past seven seasons. He has been an NBA head coach for Memphis and Houston.
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