Cavs fans have been eagerly awaiting Max Strus’ return to the floor, especially with the plethora of injuries the roster continues to battle this year. Prior to the start of the season, Strus suffered a Jones fracture in his left foot, requiring surgery in late August. At the time, his recovery was estimated to be three to four months, putting him back before the end of 2025. Unfortunately, because of a number of setbacks, it ended up being double that before he could wear the wine and gold again.
While Strus attended most games to support his team, it was clear he was eager to get back to playing and bring his unique energy to the team. When watching clips of Max Strus’ plays, his ability to make quick, elite passes has always stood out to me. Regardless of the number of points he puts up in a game, the ball movement and assists that we see from him are intelligent, setting his team up for successful buckets. His perceptive mind is the key strength in his abilities and one the team has benefited from since his arrival in Cleveland.
On Mar. 15, the Cavaliers competed against the Dallas Mavericks. With Jaylon Tyson, Jarrett Allen and Sam Merrill out with injuries, the starting lineup included Dean Wade and Keon Ellis, along with regular starters Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and James Harden, who took Strus’ previous number “1.”It was in this game that Strus, after seven months of recovery time, finally made his grand return, debuting his fresh new “2” on his jersey.
Within minutes of him being substituted into rotation, Strus was already making multiple threes, with the crowd erupting. In the first quarter alone, Strus went three for three from beyond the arc, keeping this momentum going the entire game. He ended with 24 points, putting him only two points behind Mitchell, the team’s leading scorer. Max went six for seven from three and seven for nine overall and was close to a double-double with eight rebounds.
Not only that, but all of this was achieved on a minutes restriction. Strus ended with 23 minutes.
Despite the 130-120 loss to Dallas, the team came off that game excited to have the strength in their bench that they had been waiting for all season. Strus was both emotional and proud of his achievement of coming back, which was demonstrated through the hunger he showed on the floor. To have his season debut be that reliable and intense was powerful to watch.
However, the precision and power of Strus’ mighty return was not matched in following games.
Two days later on Mar. 17, Cleveland defeated the Milwaukee Bucks on the road in a 123-116 victory. Strus went two for six, putting up six points in his 23 minutes of playing time, but made four assists, three more than he had in his season debut. His first three three-point shot attempts were all missed, with the first two not even hitting the rim. However, his performance was still impactful and aided in their victory.
The low field goal percentage did not end there, unfortunately. On Mar. 19, the Cavaliers faced the Chicago Bulls. Cleveland was outscored by 15 points in the fourth quarter, but still managed to squeeze by with a 115-110 victory.
Throughout this game, Strus missed all five shot attempts, ending with six rebounds and one assist in 24 minutes of game time. It is safe to say this is not the performance neither Strus nor the fans wanted.
Strus has battled with inconsistency since starting with the Cavaliers, either having very high or relatively low-scoring games. However, this is not entirely a judgment against him. As I have pointed out, scoring alone does not equate to a player’s worth. Making sharp, high-level passes inside the paint, especially to players like Allen and Mobley, are critical ways for the Cavaliers to play on their strengths.
It is valuable to have players not entirely focused on their own performances, but instead truly making decisions that are best for the team. Strus can be that dynamic bench player who can analyze the court and his teammates, acting as a thread that connects the team. He has only just started his season; it is only a matter of time until he has another high-scoring game!
