CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cavs’ championship aspirations hit an early obstacle with news that forward Max Strus underwent surgery for a left foot injury that will sideline him for three to four months.
On the latest episode of the Wine and Gold Talk podcast, cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor and Jimmy Watkins joined host Ethan Sands to break down what this means for a team looking to build on last season’s success.
“Max is a significant contributor to a team with championship aspirations,” Fedor emphasized during the podcast discussion. “He was going to be in the starting lineup from everything that I had heard, and he is an impactful player. Their numbers with him on the floor and off the floor, offensively and defensively, they speak to his impact on a nightly basis.”
This marks the second consecutive season Strus will miss the beginning of the campaign due to injury. Last year, he was sidelined for the first 27 games with ankle issues, yet the Cavaliers still managed one of the best starts in NBA history. Can they replicate that success?
According to Fedor, Strus brings multiple elements that aren’t easily replaced: “His movement, his shooting, his gravity, his cutting. He takes the toughest defensive assignments on the perimeter. All of that stuff the Cavs are going to feel.”
The timing of the injury creates both challenges and opportunities. While losing a starter is never ideal, the early-season nature of the setback means Strus should return well before the playoffs begin. The Cavs’ front office and coaching staff seem to share this perspective.
“The feeling around the organization is, man, this sucks for Max,” Fedor revealed after speaking with team sources. “He was so excited about training camp, he was busting his ass in the off season... But the other feeling is, we can deal with this. We’re going to be okay. The sky is not falling. This absence of Max Strus is only temporary. And for us it’s all about April, May and June.”
The injury also comes at a time when the Cavaliers may already be without point guard Darius Garland to start the season, potentially forcing head coach Kenny Atkinson to reconsider his rotations and offensive approach during the early portion of the schedule.
This situation could accelerate the Cavs’ apparent shift back toward their defensive identity.
As Fedor noted on the podcast: “This has been a defensive based off season for the Cavs. Larry Nance Jr. and Lonzo Ball. The financial decision between Ty Jerome and Sam Merrill... So much of what the Cavs talked about last year but you just didn’t play that way.”
Jimmy Watkins suggested embracing this defensive identity might be the best approach: “The Cavs have an opportunity as an organization to set the tone and be like, hey, we’re missing some of our key offensive pieces. Let’s just be an awesome defense again.”
For a team with championship aspirations, this early adversity could ultimately strengthen their resolve. The podcast hosts noted that while the organization is disappointed for Strus personally, there’s confidence in the roster’s depth and versatility to absorb this temporary setback.
“The Cavs are built to withstand absences throughout the course of the regular season,” Fedor concluded. “I think the questions about the Cavs come: Are they built to be a successful playoff team? Are they built to win multiple series in a playoff run?”
Want to hear the full breakdown of how the Cavaliers plan to adapt without Max Strus? Listen to the complete episode of the Wine and Gold Talk Podcast for more insights from Ethan Sands, Chris Fedor, and Jimmy Watkins as they dissect this significant development and what it means for the Cavs’ championship aspirations.
Here’s the podcast for this week:
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