The Cleveland Cavaliers have been waiting for the entire season for Max Strus to make his debut. If all goes as planned, they won’t have to wait much longer.
“He’s ramping up,” said Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson. “I believe he’s got one more visit with the doctor to kind of confirm that we’re doing alright.”
Strus has been on the sidelines since last May when the Cavs were eliminated in the 2025 NBA Playoffs. He suffered a Jones fracture just weeks before the current season began and has only recently
begun on-court work with the rest of the team. Strus participated in 90% of practice earlier this week.
“As far as the on-court stuff, he’s just doing more and more every day,” said Atkinson. “So we’re getting closer.”
The Cavs have managed to fare well without Strus. They’ve received huge contributions from players like Sam Merrill and Jaylon Tyson, who have managed to step up and fill his role in the starting lineup at various points throughout the season. Cleveland’s depth, which only got stronger at the deadline, has been a plus for them this year.
Still, Strus brings a skillset that you can’t get enough of. A motion shooter who can handle the rock and defend at high intensity is valuable any day of the week. Strus, if healthy, gives the Cavaliers even more firepower.
We can’t predict what Strus will look like upon returning. How quickly can he dust off his shoulders and get initiated with this roster that has changed so much since he last played? Does Strus develop immediate chemistry with James Harden? And how long will it take for his conditioning to ramp up to mid-season form with fewer than 20 games to play before the postseason?
There’s nothing easy about returning from an injury like this. But, something tells me Strus is the type of grit-and-grind player who is doing everything in his power to get back on the floor and prepare in the playoffs.
