Morris says the the Cavaliers locker room needed “a fresh voice”
The Cavs dismissed J.B. Bickerstaff despite advancing to the second round of the playoffs.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Marcus Morris appeared on FanDual’s “Run it Back” and talked about the dismissal of head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. Morris, who came to the team in March and scored 25 points in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, indicated that the Cavs players were tuning out Bickerstaff and a change was necessary.
.@ChandlerParsons: "Did you see any situation where there was a disconnect in the locker room?"@MookMorris2: "Honestly yeah, I kind of seen it, sorry to say it...I think [J. B. Bickerstaff's] time just ran out." pic.twitter.com/SH1f85DxsQ
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) May 24, 2024
When asked if there was a disconnect in the locker room, Morris was candid in his response.
“Honestly yeah, I kinda seen it (Bickerstaff being dismissed) sorry to say it.,” he said. “I think he had the locker room, I think his time just ran out.”
When asked if the Cavs were moving on from Bickerstaff because he lost his influence in the locker room or the players needed a new voice overall, Morris confirmed the latter. “I think it's more so bringing on a fresh voice.”
Morris also spoke on how the Cavs’ players responded in the locker room and accepted feedback. “I've been around a long time and seeing the responses and how players responded and take feedback, take criticism, I didn't see it.”
The responses from Morris more or less lay out what had been reported by The Atheltic already. Bickerstaff was being tuned out more and more in the locker room, resulting in some disgruntled players and poor body language. A fresh voice is precisely what the Cavs are, and should, be aiming for.