Why This Cavaliers Player Could Be Odd Man out of NBA Playoffs Rotation

The Cleveland Cavaliers are just two weeks away from the start of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, in what could be one of their most important postseasons to date.

It’s no secret the Cavaliers are built to compete with the East’s best down the stretch, and their midseason trade for superstar guard James Harden made that clear.

A few other trades also suggested that Cleveland was intent on building up its roster depth to go toe-to-toe with any team, but the recent return of one of their sharpshooting guards could force a rotation change come playoff time.

With Max Strus back in the lineup for the Cavaliers and seeing that he’s already contributing to this team once again, that could signal a lesser role for the young rising star Jaylon Tyson to start the postseason.

Why Tyson Could Be Odd Man Out

Cavaliers' fans are no strangers to hearing about lingering injuries involving their young stars — just ask Darius Garland. The ones that seem to cause the most discomfort and force players to miss significant time are foot and toe injuries, which Jaylon Tyson is currently dealing with.

Tyson is set to miss Cleveland’s next three West Coast games, two of which come against formidable opponents. The Cavaliers could certainly use his presence on the road, but the reemergence of Strus should help them in their final eight games.

Strus is expected to miss Monday’s game against the Utah Jazz with a foot injury, but this appears to be a precautionary move, as he has already missed a large portion of the season following Jones fracture surgery on his left foot.

With Tyson set to miss another stretch of games at a crucial point in the season, Strus will almost certainly see an increase in playing time after starting on a minute's restriction, similar to what he has experienced over the last two seasons.

Strus’ Play Indicates Return to Former Self

While Strus hasn’t performed extremely well in every game since his return, two of his games, including his most recent one, were a nice reminder of what he can do for this Cavaliers lineup.

In Friday’s win over Miami, Strus showed his former team that he is still just as lethal as he was when he played for the Heat, scorching them for 29 points and eight rebounds while shooting 8-for-11 from three-point range.

That was Strus’s second 20-plus-point game since his return, as he scored 24 points while shooting 6-for-7 from three-point range against Dallas two weeks ago. The biggest thing for Strus is getting him back into a rhythm with the team, especially with other players moving in and out of the lineup.

When you compare Strus and Tyson’s performances over a six-game sample size, their stats are eerily similar. Strus is averaging 12.5 points per game, 6.5 rebounds, and 2 assists while shooting 51% from the field.

Tyson, on the other hand, is averaging 13.1 points per game, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while shooting 49.6% from the field. Tyson has played a significant number of games this season compared to Strus’s six total, so for their stats to be so similar is noteworthy.

With Tyson set to miss time with a toe injury—which carries a haunting reminder of how a similar injury derailed Darius Garland’s play heading into the playoffs last season—the Cavaliers could be better off banking on Strus’s availability in the next few weeks to start off the postseason strong.