Max Strus has been a steady contributor since returning for injury with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
His veteran leadership shows on the court, and his willingness to shoot and fill his role helps the Cavaliers' offense to be dynamic and unpredictable. In his second season with Cleveland, Strus is averaging 9.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 25.1 minutes of action per game. Though these numbers are lower than last year, his per-36 stats are nearly identical to his inaugural Cavs season.
Last season, Strus struggled to maintain three-point efficiency, knocking down just 35.1 percent of his long-range attempts. This year Strus has attempted 5.9 threes per game, converting 38.7 percent of the time. His shot diet has shifted drastically, almost entirely shooting from outside.
In just 41 games played, Strus is one of the Cavs' top offensive options and a solid wing defender. He has assumed a starting role, joining the core four in 28 games. Strus' improved efficiency and hustling playstyle should be nothing but a positive for this Cavaliers squad, but Cleveland is at a crossroads with Strus and must make a decision fast.
Is Max Strus the right starter for the Cavaliers?
At the trade deadline, the Cavaliers made an all-in move for another big two-way wing, adding De'Andre Hunter from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Caris LeVert and Georges Niang. Hunter is averaging 14.1 points while shooting 48.8 percent from three since joining the Cavs. In 17 games, Hunter has started in four, primarily being used as the top bench option. Hunter's bench contributions made him a standout trade target while with the Hawks, but Cleveland's all-in move has yet to be fully realized.
The Cavs have always been at their best in this current iteration when placing a big wing on the court with the undersized backcourt of Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell. Dean Wade has often filled this role both as a small forward or power forward. While Max Strus has been a strong starter for the Cavaliers, the addition of Hunter seemed to indicate a shift toward a bigger lineup to double down on Wade's contributions.
Where Wade failed to be a constant offensive presence, Hunter solved it. The former Virginia Cavalier stands at 6'8" with a wingspan of 7'2", giving him the physical build to defend nearly anybody on the court. While Hunter's typical role has been at the three spot, coach Kenny Atkinson has employed him most often as a power forward, playing 74 percent of his Cavs minutes at the four.
This unexpected change in Hunter's role comes from Max Strus' continued production. Hunter and Ty Jerome are the first bench players to enter the game for the Cavaliers. Their innate chemistry from college made Hunter an instant culture fit, but the Cavs' starting five has seen a slip over the past few games in part due to their limited size.
Replacing Strus with a bigger wing is not as simple as it may seem. Strus is the most vocal Cavalier on the court, and he is a prototypical glue guy. With Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen in the post, the Cavs do not always need to depend on an oversized forward alongside them. Hunter has seen his best impact off the bench, too, while Strus is typically at his best in the starting five.
Cleveland hasn't seen what Hunter can do
Still, the Cavaliers traded for Hunter as a solution to their wing size issue, especially as the playoffs near with the Boston Celtics' big wings lurking as likely Eastern Conference Finals opponents. While Hunter has looked great as the first man off the bench, Cleveland is allowing the same problem that made Hunter a necessity to remain by not seeing how he fits as the definitive starter.
Strus is having a great season as an efficient shooter and willing defender, but Hunter has also been just as good, if not better. Hunter has crashed the boards and helped the Cavs control the ball in clutch moments. His defense is better than advertised in Atlanta, showing an intelligence that had not been tapped since his time with Virginia. Yet, bringing Hunter off the bench has lowered his shooting volume significantly. Hunter was the Hawks' second-highest scorer despite playing on the bench. Cleveland has limited him to 4.5 fewer field goal attempts per game in just four fewer minutes.
Thus far, Hunter has only logged 26 minutes with the Cavs core four. In that time, they have a 90.2 defensive rating and 15.6 net rating. The current starting five holds a 6.5 net rating in 184 minutes. The Cavaliers have a much larger sample size with Strus, making it hard to recognize if Hunter can elevate this team to the next level in the postseason.
There is no definite solution, and the problem Cleveland faces is one any other team would be happy to face. Strus, despite being a smaller wing, is a high-impact role player and quality shooter. Strus brings veteran leadership, playoff experience, two-way production and a team-first mentality. Hunter is a top-of-the-line wing who is too good for the bench yet even better as a sixth man.
With only 12 games left in the season, the Cavaliers have seemed to solidify Strus' and Hunter's roles, keeping the former Miami Heat sharpshooter as the starting three. Considering the instant win streak Cleveland enjoyed with Hunter off the bench upon arrival, it is hard to see this rotation as a problem. But, as the Cavs saw against the Orlando Magic, Strus' limited size can still punish the Cavs' defense against taller, physical wing rotations.
Perhaps the best solution is using Strus and Hunter in the starting lineup based on matchups during the postseason. Atkinson has been unafraid to tamper with his gameplan and substitutions. With a four-game losing streak slowing Cleveland down, now may be the time to experiment with Hunter in Strus' spot for a moment. Ultimately, the Cleveland Cavaliers can enjoy Max Strus' contributions while knowing there is always a proven backup plan waiting for a chance to shine with De'Andre Hunter. The question is whether or not that backup plan needs to take the helm sooner rather than later.