Cleveland Cavaliers wing Max Strus — who started all nine playoff games for the team last season and will have a key role in the rotation — will miss the first few months of the NBA season after undergoing foot surgery, the team has announced.
A Jones fracture involves the fifth metatarsal, the bone that connects the little toe up to the base of the foot near the ankle, with the fracture higher up on the bone. It’s a relatively common injury in basketball, but healing times can vary because the affected area is not part of the body that has strong blood flow.
The timeline provided by the Cavaliers would have Strus missing at least the first 20 games of the NBA season — past Thanksgiving and into December — and that number could very well climb up closer to 30 or higher.
Strus averaged 9.4 points and 4.3 rebounds a game last season, shooting 38.6% from beyond the arc. He started all nine playoff games for the Cavaliers and averaged 11.7 points and 5.7 rebounds a night in the postseason. Look for De’Andre Hunter to be the starter at the three with Strus out.
It’s possible the Cavaliers could jump into the free agent market for a wing to fill minutes with Strus out. However, the Cavaliers have the highest payroll in the league and are already well over the second apron of the luxury tax, meaning they can only offer a minimum contract and would be subject to a steep tax bill for any additional players signed. The Cavaliers reportedly have shown some interest in Malik Beasley, who finished second in Sixth Man of the Year voting last season and remains available, but that signing seems unlikely (Beasley is no longer the target of a federal gambling investigation, however, he is still a subject tied to the investigation and it is possible he could face a charges in the case).