The Miami Heat have already made the move of the offseason by acquiring Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo in one of the biggest blockbuster deals of the decade. The move limits them financially and there are many holes on the roster at the moment due to the Heat having to part with Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kasparas Jakucionis in the trade. However, there are plenty of players out there on the trade market and in free agency who could be strong contributors for the Heat this coming season without having to spend a lot of money. In fact, a former Heat player is reportedly on the trade block.
According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, Cleveland Cavaliers wing Max Strus is a name to keep an eye on in the trade market.
Strus, 30, had a notable tenure with Miami prior to joining Cleveland. He originally went undrafted in the 2019 draft but was picked up as an undrafted free agent by the Boston Celtics, where he played in the Summer League that year. However, he was waived prior to the season and picked up by his hometown Chicago Bulls, where he only appeared in two games before tearing his ACL and being waived again.
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After the COVID bubble, Strus joined the Heat in November 2020 on a training camp contract, which would then be converted to a two-way deal. He appeared in 39 games throughout the 2020-21 season but none of his shooting splits were particularly impressive. In the 2021-22 season, his role enlarged, starting 33 games and he shot a career-high 41 percent from three-point range. The most notable moments of Strus’ tenure, however, occurred in the 2023 Play-In tournament, where he helped the team get the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference, beginning their magical playoff run.
After that impressive playoff stretch, he signed a four-year, $63 million contract to join the Cavaliers. In Cleveland, Strus has been the total run-of-the-mill sharpshooter many expected him to be but his injuries have plagued his tenure, only playing 62 games over the last two seasons combined. Now, with the Cavaliers’ potential roster switch-up, Strus is a good candidate to be moved.
Since losing Duncan Robinson to the Detroit Pistons as part of a sign-and-trade in the 2025 offseason, the Heat have been lacking a true perimeter shooter. Although Strus showed some inconsistencies with Cleveland along with his injury woes, he is still somewhat reliable from beyond the arc. The Heat could use someone like Strus. The financials may be hard to work with but the idea is there.
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