Uncertainty Grows Around Max Strus’ Return to Cavaliers Lineup
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The Cleveland Cavaliers are still waiting for guard Max Strus, who has been out since the offseason with a Jones fracture in his right foot.
Inside the organization, Strus is viewed as the closest thing to a mid-season addition. Cleveland owns the NBA’s highest payroll and is the only club operating in the second tax apron, which limits the team to trades that send out at least as much salary as they take back. Those restrictions make a meaningful in-season deal unlikely, heightening the importance of Strus’ eventual return.
The 27-year-old is a career 36.8-percent three-point shooter, an area where the Cavaliers rank near the bottom of the league. His movement without the ball and willingness to shoot from deep are considered critical to improving the team’s floor spacing.
On the “Wine and Gold” podcast, Cleveland.com reporter Chris Fedor said members of the coaching staff, including head coach Kenny Atkinson, now acknowledge they are unsure whether Strus will resemble the player they saw in past seasons. “We don’t know if we’re going to get the Max Strus that we’ve gotten in the past,” Fedor quoted team insiders as saying.
A Jones fracture is known for an unpredictable recovery process. The Cleveland Clinic notes the bone does not always heal cleanly, which increases the chance of reinjury. Zion Williamson missed the entire 2021-22 season with the same type of injury.
Most projections suggest Strus may not reach full strength until late in the regular season. Until his status improves, expectations for a significant boost to Cleveland’s offense remain tentative.
Source: Hoops Wire
