INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — Anytime a new head coach takes over a team, there's bound to be some changes.
But when J.B. Bickerstaff was asked what differences Cleveland Cavaliers fans can expect now that he's in charge, the team's new head coach didn't point to rotations or schemes. Rather, he spoke more broadly about the Cavs' identity and how it relates to where -- and how -- they play.
"Cleveland has a great history and tradition of sports," said Bickerstaff, who was named Cavs head coach following John Beilein's resignation earlier this week. "And I think it's something that we can focus on is how we connect our team to the city and to its fans."
You'd be hard-pressed to find a better example of what Bickerstaff has in mind than what he experienced at his most recent previous job.
Having spent three seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies, Bickerstaff got an up-close look at the "Grit and Grind" culture that has defined the franchise for the better part of the past decade. With blue-collar, defensive-minded players like Marc Gasol, Mike Conley Jr., Zach Randolph and Tony Allen, the Grizzlies enjoyed plenty of success on the court, making the playoffs in every year from 2011-2017, while also forming a unique connection to their city off of it.
"One of the things that I give Memphis a ton of credit for is they did a great job with the community and being a part of the spirit of the city of Memphis," Bickerstaff said. "The 'Grit and Grind' in Memphis, you know what I mean, like if you went anywhere in the city, you felt that."
While Bickerstaff admitted that not every city is capable of such a connection between its team and its fans, it's clearly something he sees as a possibility -- if not a necessity -- in Cleveland.
Dating back to LeBron James' departure in free agency in 2018, the Cavs' culture has largely been defined by losing and instability. If Bickerstaff has his way, that identity will soon change in a way that makes a difference both on the court and off of it.
"There's an opportunity to have a connection here that tight between the fans and the team," Bickerstaff said. "Whether it's style of play, how we compete every single night on the floor -- it's our responsibility to engage our fans and play for our fans and carry that load with us when we step on the floor every night because they deserve it and they're the ones supporting us every single day."