The Cleveland Cavaliers entered the offseason with a little bit of a conundrum, and their problems grew exponentially with the news earlier yesterday evening. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Max Strus underwent foot surgery and will be out three to four months.
“Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus underwent surgery to repair a Jones fracture in his left foot sustained during a recent offseason workout and will miss approximately 3 to 4 months.” Charnia tweeted.
So what is a Jones fracture? According to the Cleveland Clinic, a Jones fracture is a broken bone in the fifth metatarsal, or the bone that joins your pinkie toe to the base of your foot.
What Does Max Strus’ Injury Mean For the Cavaliers and How Do They Replace Him?
Strus’ injury is another setback for the Cavaliers, who were looking to build on their best regular season in over a decade. The Cavaliers already knew that they were going to be without starting point guard Darius Garland for the beginning of the campaign. With Strus’ timeline, he isn’t expected to return until December at the earliest.
This marks the second straight season that Strus will miss the start of the season. The 29-year-old versatile forward missed the first 27 games last season due to an ankle sprain. While Strus struggled after his return, he did improve as the season progressed and played arguably the best basketball during the Cavs’ postseason run. He was expected to see an increased workload with Garland sidelined.
Strus is the ideal role player as he is the jack of all trades and tough. Strus is more of a shooter than a scorer. However, he did score at least 20 points twice in the Eastern Conference semifinals after topping the 20-point plateau once in 50 appearances. He averages 2.3 treys at a 36.8% clip for his career.
Garland and Strus were the Cavaliers’ second and third-most dangerous three-point shooters last year. Strus is also a capable secondary ball handler and facilitator. He is at his best when off-the-ball or in ballscreen situations as the ballhandler or roller.
How Does the Cavaliers Replace Max Strus?
Cleveland still has work to do with its roster, though the Cavaliers aren’t expected to make a major move before the season. The Cavaliers have 13 players on standard contracts, but they are nearly $20 million over the second apron. So, they are limited to offering free agents the veteran minimum.
Coach Kenny Atkinson does have options. If Lonzo Ball is healthy, he will likely start alongside Donovan Mitchell. With Ball replacing Garland, that means De’Andre Hunter will slide into Strus’s spot at small forward.
Ball and Hunter have plenty of starting experience and are solid when healthy. However, the inclusion of those two players with the first unit severely weakens the bench, which has already lost Ty Jerome and Isaac Okoro. The Hawks had a top 10 bench a season ago.
Sam Merrill, who has developed into a solid role player over the last two seasons, is expected to anchor the second unit alongside Dean Wade and Larry Nance Jr. Craig Porter Jr., Jaylon Tyson, and Tyrese Proctor are projected to receive plenty of early playing time.
Cleveland also has an open two-way roster spot to fill. Luke Travers and Nae’QwonTomlin are the players inked to minor league deals. Meanwhile, Norchad Omier and Chaney Johnson have agreed to Exhibit 10 and training camp deals. Omier and Johnson will likely be among the players competing for the Cavs’ final two-way spot. With just 17 players on the training camp roster, it is expected that the Cavs will add at least a few more players before the end of September.
Cavs Options
It is conceivable, yet highly unlikely, that the Cavaliers will begin the season with 13 players on standard contracts, as it would serve no purpose given their current salary situation. So, who could the Cavaliers be interested in?
Cleveland has been linked to Malik Beasley. But Beasley isn’t out of the woods with the Fed gambling probe. Additionally, Detroit, Minnesota, and New York are reportedly interested in the 28-year-old as well. The Cavs, Wolves, and Knicks can only offer Beasley the minimum. Meanwhile, the Pistons own Beasley’s Non-Bird’s rights.
Seth Curry, Malcolm Brogdon, and Ben Simmons make sense for the Cavs. All three have been linked to other squads. Brogdon and Simmons make the most sense, with Brogdon having a slight edge due to his 3-point shooting. Talen Horton-Tucker and Dalano Banton are other free agents who are possible options.
Now, Cleveland could also go the trade route. The Cavaliers don’t have many cheap assets, perhaps Wade, but they would need to secure a two-for-one deal to address their roster situation. Therefore, the Cavs will need to send out a draft or two.
Cleveland has three future first-round picks, though none until 2030. The Cavaliers also have four second-round selections, including 2026, 2027 (via Denver), and 2028.
Photo Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski, Imagn images
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