There were a lot of big moves on the first day of free agency, but most of the major players agreed to come back to their teams from a year ago. One of the few to dramatically buck this trend was Max Stross, who agreed to go to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a sign and trade.
The deal isn’t official yet, but when Strus arrives in Cleveland, he’ll do so on a new four-year, $63 million contract, according to ESPN. It’s a huge raise for Strus, who was a developmental star for the Miami Heat.
The trade would see Cedi Osman, Lamar Stevens, and a second-round pick sent to the San Antonio Spurs. Meanwhile, the Heat will get a second-round pick from the Cavs, too.
How did the Cleveland Cavaliers do in getting guard Max Stross in a tag and trade from the Miami Heat?
The Cavaliers started this off-season hoping to improve their shooting and they did so exponentially by taking on Strus, one of the better shooters on the market. For his career, he hit 37.1 percent of his triples and averaged a career-best 11.5 points per game last year.
He has a tendency to be a bit streaky and hit less than 25 percent of his triples in games the Heat lost in the postseason last year. Nevertheless, he averaged a career high in wins and an underpowered Miami team reached the NBA Finals.
Strus can be a typical 3-D, though the defense isn’t always as strong as his efforts in this regard. One need look no further when Derrick White scored his miraculous game-winning goal against the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, a shot made possible after Strus lost his leg.
Crucially, Strus’ best ability — outside of his shot range — may be his availability. He takes care of himself and rarely wastes time, he’s only been out for two games this year in the regular season and postseason combined.
Since it was a signing and deliberation rather than a direct signing, Strus’ arrival must be seen in the context of who and what he is leaving. Second round picks don’t bother you much, they are always posts and can be placed at the end of the draft if Cleveland reaches their competitive goals.
The loss of Osman means the loss of one of the last vestiges of the second LeBron James era in Cleveland. He’s always been a consistent player for the Cavs, averaging nearly 10 points per game in the past six seasons. He just got his contract guaranteed for next year and should step into a three-dimensional role for San Antonio.
Stevens hasn’t been part of the Cleveland rotation, but he’s still an interesting young winger on a very cheap contract. If he’s not going to break JB Bickerstaff’s rotation again this season, use him as a trading chip with the only option.
If shooting was the team’s biggest goal off the season, Strus was the best ever. The team has already brought back wing back Karis LeVert and signed fellow striker George Niang on a three-year deal, with perimeter players loaded.
Max Stross should help the Cleveland Cavaliers get through the first stretch of next season.
- Posted on 01/07/2023 at 17:50 PM
- Last updated on 01/07/2023 at 17:50 PM