The Cleveland Cavaliers are 40-25 and just three and a half games behind the second-seeded Boston Celtics. They're not necessarily losing sleep over playoff positioning at this point, but it certainly won't hurt to lock in a favorable seed.
Fortunately for coach Kenny Atkinson, he might get the perfect guy to help his team do so. Unlike most teams, the Cavaliers are actually waiting for late-season reinforcements in the shape of Max Strus. The Cavs veteran has yet to make his season debut.
While there's still no timetable for his return, Cavs insider Joe Vardon of The Athletic believes he's trending in the right direction. In his latest column, he predicted that Strus might be back on the court within the next week.
Max Strus could finally make his Cavaliers debut soon
"He is still fighting his way back from offseason surgery to repair a fracture in his left foot, and after months of waiting he is nearing a return that could happen within the next week," Vardon reported.
The 29-year-old was expected to be sidelines for three to four months after going under the knife in August. He sustained a Jones fracture in his left foot before the start of the season, and the team has erred on the side of caution with his recovery.
Strus has practiced with both the Cavaliers and the Cleveland Charge, their G League affiliate, to ramp things up before his season debut. He averaged 9.4 points, 3.2 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game on 44.2 percent from the floor and 38.6 percent from beyond the arc in 25.5 minutes a night last season.
While not the flashiest player, Strus is the type of team-first guy who does all the little things that don't always show up on the stat sheet but are keys to winning. He'll run through screens, dive for loose balls, put his body on the line, and knock down big shots when needed. He can also create for others, and he's proven to be a streaky scorer in the postseason.
The Cavs are firing on all cylinders with their new-look roster. Strus won't probably get as many touches, especially once he makes his debut, but he can be a crucial contributor in a potential championship series. He plays defense, spreads the floor, and comes with extensive playoff experience.
Most teams got their reinforcements at the trade deadline, including the Cavs. Then again, recovering a crucial rotation piece just in time for playoff preparation will be as good as a free-agent signing or a big trade addition for this team.