Cleveland Cavaliers forward Max Strus underwent surgery to repair a Jones fracture in his left foot sustained during a recent workout and will miss approximately three to four months, the team announced Tuesday.
His approximate recovery timeline means he’s set to miss at least the first month of the upcoming 2025-26 season. The Cavs open their 56th season on Wednesday, Oct. 22. at New York.
Max Strus Joined Cavaliers During 2023 Offseason
Strus, 29, joined the Cavaliers on a four-year, $63 million sign-and-trade two summers ago and has played a critical role in making Cleveland contenders in the Eastern Conference over the last two years.
The 6-foot-5 Strus stayed healthy for 70 games (all starts) with the Cavs in the 2023-24 season, averaging a career-best 12.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per contest while shooting 41.8% from the floor and 35.1% from deep.
However, Strus was also hurt to start last year due to a right ankle sprain he suffered during workouts. He initially sustained a hip contusion early in the preseason and was nearing a return from that injury.
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— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) August 26, 2025
Strus missed the first two months of the 2024-25 campaign, his second season with Cleveland.
In 50 games (37 starts) with the Cavs last season, Strus averaged 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 25.5 minutes per contest while shooting 44.2% from the field and 38.6% from 3-point territory.
Per Basketball Reference, in Cleveland’s 132-119 road loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on March 18, he recorded a season-high 24 points on 8-of-12 (66.7%) shooting from the floor and 5-for-8 (62.5%) from beyond the arc.
Cavs, Knicks Have Expressed Interest In Malik Beasley
HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported Sunday that the Cavaliers “checked in on Malik Beasley.”
That story came a couple of days after federal investigators cleared the nine-year veteran of any wrongdoing in a gambling probe. The Knicks have also “maintained a level of interest in Beasley,” according to NBA insider Jake Fischer.
Beasley, who finished second in Sixth man of the Year award last season, appeared in all 82 games (18 starts) in 2024-25, his first season with the Detroit Pistons.
The former first-rounder averaged 16.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 27.8 minutes per contest while shooting 43% from the field and a career-best 41.6% from downtown.
Beasley made 319 3-pointers, the most in a season in Pistons franchise history and the second most in the NBA behind Minnesota Timberwolves star guard Anthony Edwards.
If the Cavaliers are unable to add Beasley, players such as De’Andre Hunter, Sam Merrill, and Dean Wade will probably be asked to step up on the offensive side until Strus is ready to return.
