The Cavs’ ‘silver lining’ to Max Strus’ preseason injury
The Cleveland Cavaliers dealt with their fair share of injury problems throughout the 2023-24 season, and it ended up being the undoing of their season as Donovan Mitchell missed the final games of their second-round playoff matchup against the eventual champion Boston Celtics. And it didn’t take long for an injury problem to come back and haunt the Cavs, as Max Strus was ruled out of the entire second half of Cleveland’s preseason-opening 116-112 loss to the Chicago Bulls.
Strus reportedly suffered a right hip contusion and it remains unclear just how severe the injury he picked up was. Nonetheless, even if Strus were to miss time, there is a “silver lining” to his potential absence, and that is the opportunity it opens up for Dean Wade to take on an expanded role, as per Ethan Sands of Cleveland.com.
If the spacing Wade provided for the Cavs sufficed, then they would not have signed Strus to a huge deal in last year’s free agency. Regardless, Wade has shown in the past that he can be a helpful, low-usage connective piece in a lineup with two ball-dominant guards (Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell), as well as two capable scorers from the interior (Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen).
That is where Wade differs from Strus. Strus creates chaos for the opposing defense thanks to his ability to shoot while coming off screens, and it’s his diligent movement on that end that opens up scoring opportunities both for himself and for others. Meanwhile, Wade is more adept at playing within the flow of the Cavs offense, and it’s his plug-and-play nature that makes him a seamless fit in many lineups.
