Why the Addition of Max Strus to the Cavaliers is More Impactful than Some May Think

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The Cleveland Cavaliers had an eventful offseason this year; re-signing Caris LeVert, signing Georges Niang, and most importantly, signing Max Strus to a four-year 63 million dollar contract. After losing in the first round last season, the Cavs needed to make a move that made them more competitive. While Max Strus, at first, may not seem like that big of a name to get it done, he is the perfect fit for this young Cavs team to make the next step.

Max Strus played for the Miami Heat last season and was a big part of their playoff success. The Heat made it to the finals last season, and while Jimmy Butler was a big reason for that, one of the most important reasons was the role players stepping up. Strus had many games during the playoffs where he shot over 40 percent from three, which is exactly what the Cavs need.

The Cavs' biggest problem during the playoffs was their lack of a solid wing player. Their core four, Darius Garland, Dononvan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen, are all very capable players. The Cavs just lacked a small forward that was effective in any lineups during the playoffs. Isaac Okoro was unplayable because of his shooting struggles and Cedi Osman was too inefficient and was playing poorly defensively. While Caris LeVert looked decent at times, he also was wildly inconsistent and had games where he was easily a net negative. Having a reliable guy like Strus solves this problem. Now the Cavs have five reliable guys who can be on the court together and a solid three-point shooter they desperately needed. This move increases the Cavs' championship chances and certainly makes them more of a threat in the East.