What success looks like for Cavs wing Max Strus in the 2023-24 season
By Alex Knodel
Strus is no slouch defensively
He will rarely be tasked with guarding the opposing team’s best player, but of the collection of movement-shooting wings across the league, Strus has displayed more defensive ability than most. He has good size, listed at 6-foot-5, 215 pounds, with a wingspan measured at 6-foot-7.5.
Strus is a smart, physical defender who makes up for what he lacks in athletic tools with his smarts. He is excellent rotationally, finishing second in the NBA in charges drawn last season, behind only Draymond Green.
Strus is strong through the chest, enabling him to hold his own when switched onto bigger players. Having schematic versatility on the defensive end of the floor has shown to be crucial come playoff time and Strus’ ability to both operate in a switching scheme as well as be trusted to rotate behind the play in more traditional ball screen coverages, is key.
While defense is not an overwhelming strength for Strus, he is more than capable of being a reliable team defender, and if there were ever an ideal situation to cover for his potential shortcomings, the frontcourt tandem of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen would be hard to beat.
From there, from a team perspective, Strus’ shooting should make lives easier for other Cavaliers players.