Impact of Cavs' Max Strus exiting preseason game early against Bulls

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No matter the team, the No.1 goal for the NBA preseason is to be 100% healthy and ready for the regular season. Unfortunately, that doesn’t appear to be the case for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Before Cleveland hosted the Chicago Bulls for their first preseason matchup, the Cavs lost Emoni Bates to meniscus surgery. However, sharpshooter Max Strus suffered a right hip contusion in the first half against the Bulls, and the injury kept him out for the remainder of the game. Sam Merill took Strus’s spot for parts of the remaining first half. To open the second half Dean Wade was with the starting lineup.

The injury occurred early in the second quarter, as Strus attempted to take an offensive charge in transition, landing hard on his side. After being whistled for a foul on the play while on the ground in pain, Strus was helped up and walked toward the bench, holding his hip. Overall, Strus played nine minutes, recording two rebounds and one assist against the Bulls. He did not take a shot or score a basket.

Strus’s status for when the Cavs host the Indiana Pacers is uncertain. Strus is in his second season with the team. He finished last season averaging 12.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and four assists a game in 78 appearances. Losing Strus is tough since Cleveland relies on his three-point shooting and in-game grit. However, there's no reason to play through discomfort if you're an established starter like Strus in the preseason. So, this isn’t something serious when looking at a glass half full. Still, the Cavs would rather not have someone taken out of a game with an injury. Strus missed 12 games last season with a right knee sprain.

So, if Cleveland is without Strus to start the season, things could be bumpy for the Cavs. The team is trying to adapt to head coach Kenny Atkinson’s three-point-heavy system, and not having Strus learn the system and support his teammates could make things rough.

How serious is the Cavs possibly losing Max Strus in the long term?

Last season, Strus was one of Cleveland’s most crucial three-point shooting threats. He was second in three-pointers made, just behind Donovan Mitchell. Strus’s 168 three-point baskets accounted for roughly 15.2% of the Cavs’ three-pointers. Behind him last year was Georges Niang, whose 149 made perimeter attempts accounted only for 13.4%  of Cleveland’s total three-pointers.

While that difference in makes doesn’t feel significant, especially with Mitchell healthy, not having Strus long-term can throw a wrench in a lot of what Atkinson is trying to do. Against the Bulls, the Cavs made a concerted effort to force Chicago’s defense to react to Cleveland’s offensive attack. That was done by peppering the Bulls with assists to Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen inside. When Chicago corrected to stop it, the Cavs would kick back out to a wide-open shooter, keeping the Bulls constantly moving.

Again, Strus didn’t take a shot against Chicago. However, he was an active part of Cleveland’s defensive bending. Strus would use his three-point gravity to overcorrect, and in turn, he or his teammates would find clean looks at the basket or elsewhere on the perimeter. Not having that to open games, especially when they count, would be hard for the Cavs to find an offensive rhythm to start the season. It’s also a double-whammy since Cleveland wants to get Strus comfortable in Atkinson’s offense.

The Cavs could try to plug Wade or Merrill into the position, hoping to get similar results. Unfortunately, neither player is quite the same caliber shooter as Strus. Hopefully, the injury is nothing serious, and either Strus plays against the Pacers or shuts him down for the remainder of preseason action. However, if Strus is sidelined early into the season, things could be rough sledding out of the gates. Cleveland opens its season on the road against the Toronto Raptors. They then will face the New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, and Golden State Warriors in their first ten contests. Having Strus for these big-time opponents will be vital – especially when Cleveland wants a top record in the Eastern Conference.

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