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Strus? In the closing lineup? Already? His second game back following an extended layoff — the result of late-summer foot surgery that cost him for the first 67 games? While on a minute restriction? On a night where he had two airballs and wasn’t playing nearly as well as Sunday’s debut? Yes, Strus. “I have such a comfort level with him,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said following the win. “I could see it going any way with him. Maybe starting lineup. Maybe sixth man. We will see how that plays out. But it’s hard not to finish with the guy because he is such a clutch player. We’ll see where it ends up. He has a way of imposing his will and makes you put him in the lineup.”
Strus’ immediate usage raises an interesting — and difficult — question: How does Atkinson find minutes for everyone? Is it even possible? “We’re going to have those decisions,” Atkinson explained. “That’s part of our job. Have to make the right choices.”
Atkinson said Tuesday the Strus-specific plan over the next month is to steadily and slowly build up his minutes. The hope is to get him into the higher-20s by mid-April — a number that helps spotlight Strus’ substantial role. “He’s just Max,”: Merrill said. “He’s one of those guys, whether he is making or missing shots, he’s impacting the game. I know he is working his way back into it but he’s going to be really important for us.”
Bob Finnan: Final: Mavs 130, Cavs 120. Cooper Flagg leads all scorers with 27 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds. Max Strus has 24 points, 8 rebounds in season debut
Danny Cunningham: Max Strus is officially available for the #Cavs for the first time this season. Jaylon Tyson (ankle) is out.
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Danny Cunningham: #Cavs list Max Strus (Jones Fracture) as probable for tomorrow’s game against the Dallas Mavericks. He’s set to make his season debut.
You haven’t heard much this NBA season about Strus, 29, because he hasn’t played. He is still fighting his way back from offseason surgery to repair a fracture in his left foot, and after months of waiting he is nearing a return that could happen within the next week. In the middle of last season — his second with the Cavs — Strus, along with his sister Maggie Sommer and best friend Jake Wimmer, formally launched the Max Strus Family Foundation. The foundation operates with a volunteer board, raises most of its money through camp registrations and a bowling fundraiser in Cleveland, and directs grants to youth sports programs, cancer organizations and mental health nonprofits in the cities Strus has lived in. The foundation is small — it distributed about $160,000 in 2025 — by design. Strus wants to know the people he’s able to help.
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“I don’t want to be somebody or our foundation as a whole doesn’t want to be a group that’s just like handing out money and you don’t hear from us again,” Strus said. “We want to be in it for the long run. Like we want to create relationships. We want to be impactful on people’s lives and be there as support.” When Strus was just making his way in the NBA with the Miami Heat, his coach Erik Spoelstra’s son went through a serious health scare. Spoelstra remembers Strus knocking on his office door. “When my son was sick, he stopped by my office,” Spoelstra said. “A lot of people just feel awkward. They don’t know what to say. He just wanted to offer support. And also said, ‘Hey, if you’re doing anything, I want to be part of it.’”
Spoelstra said the gesture didn’t surprise him. “You can see that Max just naturally thinks about other people,” he said. “So the fact that he’s doing this kind of work is not at all surprising.”
Chris Fedor: #Cavs are listing Donovan Mitchell (groin) and Dean Wade (ankle) as PROBABLE for tomorrow’s showdown with Boston. Jaylon Tyson (neck strain) is QUESTIONABLE. Jarrett Allen (knee) and Max Strus (foot surgery) are OUT.
