The Cleveland Cavaliers decided not to make sweeping roster changes after another disappointing finish to their playoff run last spring.

Instead, they brought in a new voice for this core, replacing JB Bickerstaff with Kenny Atkinson as head coach shortly after the season ended. Bickerstaff quickly found a new job not too far from Cleveland when he took over as Detroit Pistonsnew head coach.

As the Cavs prepare for their Friday night home opener against the Pistons, they will also welcome a familiar face into the building. No one can ignore Bickerstaff’s history with the Cavs and vice versa, but the now Detroit head coach wants to keep it strictly business on Friday night.

Here’s what Bickerstaff had to say about returning to Cleveland on Friday:

“We have a game to play, that’s all that matters,” Bickerstaff told Pistons reporters. “I got a ton of respect for those guys. I care about them deeply, but tomorrow night none of that matters.”

Bickerstaff spent five seasons with the Cavaliers, finishing with a 170-159 record. Although he wasn’t able to accomplish this, Bickerstaff played a key role in helping Cleveland go from a rebuilding roster to a playoff team, and that’s something fans can’t forget.

Now, the 45-year-old head coach looks to do the same with a young Pistons team in a similar situation to the Cavs when Bickerstaff took over midway through the 2019-20 season.

There shouldn’t be any bad blood between Bickerstaff and the Cavaliers, but each side will likely have an extra chip on their shoulder looking to win their first official matchup since the split.