Max Strus to make season debut Friday

The Cavs forward has been recovering from an ankle injury he suffered in the preseason.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Max Strus will reportedly make his season debut Friday against the Washington Wizards according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Strus has not appeared in a regular season game while he was rehabbing an ankle injury suffered in the preseason.

The return of Strus gives the Cavs another viable wing at a time when the Cavs are having some fluctuations. Isaac Okoro is dealing with a knee injury, Dean Wade recently came back from an ankle absence, and Evan Mobley suffered a sprained ankle last game against the Miami Heat. Getting Strus back helps insulate perhaps the weakest position group on the roster.

Strus shot 35.1% from deep last season on 6.8 attempts per game, an aspect of offense that the Cavs will be happy to have back. Cleveland is already the best shooting team in the league, ranking first in field goal percentage and three-point field goal percentage. Against the poor Wizards team that ranks dead last in defense, Strus should have a good environment to be eased back into action.

Strus suffered an ankle injury at the tail end of the preseason and was initially expected to miss six to eight weeks, a tough blow considering it came during an individual workout and not even a game. He also suffered a hip injury in the Cavs’ preseason opener on Oct. 8 while attempting to take a charge.

The 28-year-old Strus averaged 12.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and four assists spread out over 70 games (all starts) for the Cavs last season. Strus signed a four-year $63 million deal with the Cavs in 2023.