The Cleveland Cavaliers are gaining some strong momentum, especially on offense. James Harden's arrival has given the team another three-level scorer and facilitator, and Donovan Mitchell is thriving with the new-look roster.
Kenny Atkinson's team will also be expecting another reinforcement at some point in the season. Unfortunately, it looks like veteran guard Max Strus still isn't anywhere close to setting foot on the hardwood again.
Strus sustained a foot injury in the offseason and has yet to make his season debut. Coach Atkinson just confirmed that he's making progress, but that doesn't mean he's going to play in the next week or so.
Max Strus is progressing, but he's still not close to his season debut
"Progressing. Really did a pretty high-level workout today. No contact still, but he's starting to ramp up. It's like, don't get too excited, but he's doing a lot more, so that's good news," Atkinson said, per Cavs reporter Spencer Davies.
Strus reportedly suffered a setback in his recovery. He looked closer to making his season debut before the trade deadline, and some even speculated that the Cavs might've been holding him out because they were shopping him.
That wasn't the case at all, as he hasn't even been cleared for contact yet. As things stand now, it doesn't sound like he's going to be on the court in February, and there's no official timeline for his return.
It wouldn't even be shocking to see the Cavaliers err on the side of caution with the former Miami Heat guard and shut him down for the season. They can't afford to let him get his groove back and shoot his way back into a rhythm with the Eastern Conference race as tight as it is right now.
There's no point in getting him out there for just a handful of games before the start of the playoffs, especially with second-year guard Jaylon Tyson holding his ground so well in his absence and with an expanded role.
Of course, that's not to say Strus wouldn't be a valuable piece for this team. He has extensive postseason experience and is much more than a sharpshooter; he can also hold his own on the defensive end of the floor.
Strus averaged 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.2 dimes per game on 44.2 percent from the floor and 38.6 percent from beyond the arc last season. He's a willing and underrated passer and the type of player whose impact doesn't always show up in the stat sheet.