After missing every game thus far in the 2025-26 season with a broken foot, Max Strus finally returned to action for the Cleveland Cavaliers in Sunday's 130-120 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.
Throughout the course of the year, there has been constant discourse and chatter about what Strus' role would look like when he did return. That is especially true in regards to the emergence of Sam Merrill and Jaylon Tyson, plus the trade for Keon Ellis.
However, Strus was excellent in his season debut, scoring 24 points on 7-for-9 from the field, including six 3-pointers to go along with eight rebounds as well.
If he can play at a similar level for the rest of the regular season, Kenny Atkinson will have some tough decisions to make come playoff time in regards to the wing rotation -- decisions that could cost him his job if they go wrong.
Historically, Atkinson has featured a deep playoff rotation of wings
Throughout Atkinson's head coaching career, he has only made the playoffs twice. One of them was last season, in his first year in Cleveland.
In the nine games the Cavaliers played in, Atkinson unleashed a somewhat deep rotation of wings, although injuries certainly played a role. Strus, Merrill, De'Andre Hunter, Dean Wade and Isaac Okoro all averaged over 14 minutes per game in last year's playoffs, but many of Wade's minutes did come as more of a big.
Both Hunter and Merrill missed a game in the series against the Indiana Pacers, but Atkinson showed the willingness to utilize different combinations with his wings. The minutes often varied between them.
For example, while Strus was favored the most heavily and started every game, Hunter and Okoro began in the back end of the rotation. However, both of them ended up with larger roles as the playoffs rolled on.
Atkinson showed a similar strategy in his only other playoff experience: as head coach for the Brooklyn Nets in 2018-19. Joe Harris, Caris LeVert and DeMarre Carroll all played over 23 minutes per game and had the largest roles, but Jared Dudley, Rodions Kurucs, Treveon Graham and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson all averaged over 15 minutes per game as well.
So, across time and situation, Atkinson's philosophy involves a lot of mixing and matching of wings in the playoff rotation, and it should be expected that the same theory will hold in 2025-26.
Atkinson has a plethora of options at his disposal
Looking at this season's options, James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen can be taken out of the equation. The new look 'core four' is comfortably set as Cleveland's top minutes getters and their spots in the rotation are certainly not up for grabs at the moment. Also, none of them are true wings.
We'll also leave Dennis Schroder, Craig Porter Jr., and Thomas Bryant out as they are either point guards or bigs. It total, the three of them should account for one, maybe two, rotation spots.
That leaves Tyson, Merrill, Ellis, Strus, Wade and perhaps Tyrese Proctor (although that is extremely unlikely). Amongst that group, there are about 3-5 sizeable roles in the playoffs and honestly, things could go in any direction.
In the past, Strus has been Atkinson's favorite, but again, it's tough to hope that he can sustain his hot start after being hurt for so long. Both Tyson and Merrill had strong starts to the season but have tailed off in production a tad and each are dealing with injuries.
Atkinson is clearly starting to trust Ellis more and more, resulting in increased minutes and starts. Atkinson also has been a fan of Wade recently, with many of his minutes coming at the three. This will be one of the biggest questions on how Cleveland's lineups look in the playoffs: will Wade be more of a wing or backup big?
Despite the success at wing, it does make more sense for Wade to be primarily a big, as the wing room is crowded. The move would likely push out Bryant, but that wouldn't be the worst thing.
Removing Wade from the equation, now it's Tyson, Merrill, Ellis and Strus. From here, there are two likely directions to go. It depends on if Strus can resemble anything like what he showed in his first game, or if he can't.
If he can, he'll more likely than not be the fifth starter. If not, it would be Ellis. Strus, at his best, brings a level of dynamism on the offensive end that none of the others can bring. If he can't be his best, Ellis' defense is the best of the group. He can guard both wings and guards much better than either Harden or Mitchell can.
So, with Strus and Ellis penciled into roles, that leaves Tyson and Merrill. Going back to Atkinson's philosophy, it seems as if they both will play, but one could play three to 10 minutes more than the other. It certainly is close, but at this point, it seems as if Atkinson may give the nod the Merrill.
Tyson is young and hasn't played real minutes in a playoff setting yet, so if he continues to be banged up and not his best, Atkinson will be inclined to go with a guy who's been there before in Merrill. It's a double-edged sword though, as Merrill has been constantly hurt himself with various injuries.
Either way, if things are anything like the past, the way Atkinson starts the playoffs with the rotation isn't how he's going to end. All of these wings have plenty of time to cement their respective places as April looms ahead.