How the Cleveland Cavaliers Should Reinsert Max Strus into the Lineup

It's only a matter of days until sharpshooting guard Max Strus returns to the lineup.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been without him for practically the entire 2025-26 NBA season, following surgery back in July 2025 to repair a Jones fracture in his left foot. At the time, it was deemed that the injury would only hold him off the court for just three to four months, but his total timeline will be nearly nine months.

Fortunately, recent news has come out that the 29-year-old has made positive steps in his recovery and will likely return to the court soon. The only thing now is that the coaching staff will have to work to find a way to reintegrate him into the lineup.

With so many players so well this season, Strus may find himself in an odd spot at first, attempting to carve out his new role.

Over the past few weeks, the Cavaliers have been slowly providing updates about the recovery process of Strus and when they expect to see him back on the court.

“Cavaliers guard/forward Max Strus continues his recovery following offseason surgery to repair a Jones fracture in his left foot," read an official Cavaliers update. "Recent imaging has shown progressive healing, and in consultation with Dr. David Porter and team physician Dr. James Rosneck, Strus has progressed to individual on-court workouts as part of a structured ramp-up program.

Strus has recently been practicing with the Cleveland Charge, allowing him to slowly acclimate himself back into the game in a low-pressure environment.

The Cleveland Cavaliers assigned Max Strus to the Cleveland Charge today.

Strus practicing with the Charge is a sign that he’s not far off from playing for the #Cavs.
— Danny Cunningham (@RealDCunningham) March 11, 2026

After all, Cleveland didn't want to rush back the heavily impactful guard, who not only can knock down shots, but also drive to the hoop and play good defense, as the playoffs near.

All signs point towards a season debut coming on Sunday, March 15, against the Dallas Mavericks.

Strus' New Role

Across his previous two seasons in Cleveland, Strus played in 120 games, starting in all but 13. That role as a staple in the starting lineup will likely be gone when he steps back onto the hardwood, partially due to the surge of players like Sam Merrill and Jaylon Tyson.

At least one of those two will be in the starting lineup, while Donovan Mitchell and James Harden hold onto the No. 1 and No. 2 spots. Then, down low, bigs Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, as long as they stay healthy, will continue to lock down the paint.

Whichever one of Merrill and Tyson doesn't start will likely become the team's sixth man off the bench. Next to them will be guards Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder, who have played critical roles in playmaking and defense throughout the season.

In all honesty, it's going to be very difficult for Strus to fully acclimate himself back into the rotation.

After averaging over 23 minutes a night over the past four seasons, Strus' involvement on the court could drop below 20 minutes simply because of the Cavaliers' current depth on the roster.

Strus' role may primarily be to flip-flop with Merrill on the court, providing consistent three-point scoring for the offense. Last season, he averaged 38.6% from beyond the arc on nearly six attempts per game.

He also developed into a reliable playmaker, averaging over three assists per game across the past two seasons, which helps ensure that no matter which guard is on the floor, Cleveland can still facilitate the offense effectively.

With that in mind, Cleveland's best approach may be to gradually reintroduce Strus into the rotation, rather than tossing him right back into a heavy workload.

The Cavaliers have built strong chemistry over the course of the season, even after dealing a member of the core four, and disrupting such a rhythm before the playoffs would be unnecessary.

Playing Strus in bursts of minutes would give him time to regain his conditioning and confidence, all while still providing that offensive spark he's known for.