Did The Cavs Overpay To Get Max Strus?

Max Strus will have to prove that the Cleveland Cavaliers made the right decision based on what they gave up and the contract he was given.

The Cleveland Cavaliers made one of the biggest splashes we've seen so far in free agency. This was the three-team, sign-and-trade surrounding Max Strus signing a four-year, $63 million deal with the Cavs.

After seeing the numbers and what Cleveland had to give up for Strus, there is a valid question to ask. Did Koby Altman and the Cavs overpay to get their top-target free agent target?

Let's start with what Cleveland gave up.

The longest-tenured Cavalier, Cedi Osman, will be playing in another jersey next season as he was traded to the San Antonio Spurs as a part of the deal. Cedi has been with the Cavs since the start of 2017 and was a part of Cleveland's rebuild that got them to this point. He averaged 9.7 points and shot 35 percent from three during his time with Cleveland.

Not seeing Osman in a Cavs uniform will take some getting used, especially because of how he grew into a fan favorite. He's been a solid and proven bench piece over the last few seasons.

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Another key bench piece that Altman had to give up in this deal was Lamar Stevens. Stevens found himself in and out of the rotation and was a great defensive player for the Cavs. It's a similar case to Osman. Stevens will be missed but the Cavaliers also upgraded at the position too.

Losing two bench pieces isn't the end of the world, but we know that both Cedi and Stevens were great fits on Cleveland's roster.

What did it take for the Cavs to get Sturs to come to Cleveland? A lot of money.

Over $15 million a year is a lot for any player, let alone a player whose main talent is three-point shooting. Plus, an argument can be made that Strus is a streaking shooter as well.

His best year shooting was back during the 2021-22 season when he shot 41 percent from behind the arc on 6.5 attempts a night. Last season, Strus shot 35 percent from three on 7.0 attempts a night.

Strus also struggled in the postseason. Struggled ... a lot. He only averaged 9.3 points and shot 32 percent from three. Those aren't exactly the numbers that you'd expect from someone who the front office unloaded two key players and gave so much guaranteed money to.

If Max continues to struggle with shooting at the start of next season then this contract could quickly 

Overall, I do think Strus makes the Cavs a better team. They needed someone who could help space the floor that was a true small forward and he certainly fits that role. However, he'll have to prove that Cleveland made the right decision considering what they had to give up and the contract he was given. 

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