Why the Cleveland Cavaliers Need Sam Merrill Now More Than Ever

While the recent addition of Peyton Watson has the city of Cleveland imaging the possibilities, it didn’t come without at least one downside. That being the loss of Max Strus.

No matter how you slice it, Strus was undeniably an important factor in helping the Cavaliers take the next step in their journey towards contention. He added in more ways than one, on and off the court. And with that being the case, replacing him isn’t going to be as straightforward as asking one of the incumbent options to step into his role within a Cavs rotation that still has some real questions on the backend.

Strus brought many things to the proverbial table. He was more than simply the volume shooter that many fans perceived him as prior to his acquisition. Upon stepping foot onto the unique raised court of Rocket Area, he instantly became a go-to source of perimeter shotmaking for a front-court that could at times, be devoid of it. He proved to be a valuable rebounder relative to his size. He proved to be a solid defender, and he provided the type of on-court leadership that iteration of the Cavaliers desperately needed.

But one of the most important contributions he brought to Cleveland was his connectivity. Max Strus was often times a connector. Someone who had the tough job of bridging the gap between the backcourt and his fellow front court mates, which was no small feat.

The former Cavs swingman had developed a real chemistry with his front-court running mates in that of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. In Strus’ inaugural campaign with the team, he threaded the needle to Allen on 82 separate occasions, resulting in some of the most harmonious baskets you’ll ever see as a hoops fan. The only player to eclipse Strus in total dimes (93) to Allen that season was former Cavalier Darius Garland, whom Strus will be joining in LA.

To take it a step further, the only players to assist on more of Allen’s buckets than Strus did during his entire 172 game run (regular and post season combined) were the aforementioned Garland (280) and Donovan Mitchell (193). The chemistry ran deep.

Suffice it to say that Strus was a valuable part of what Cleveland has become up to this point. His departure will be felt but the Cavaliers do have a few in-house options waiting for the opportunity to help backfill the his role.

Sam Merrill is one such player.

Merrill, like Strus, has become one of Cleveland’s most dependable floor spacers in his time here. Unlike Strus, Merrill is coming off a breakout of sorts after shooting the lights out during the 2025-26 regular season. He finished that campaign with averages of 12.8 Points, 2.6 Rebounds, and 2.4 Assists, while completing roughly 46.1% of his field goal attempts including a scorching 42.1% from deep. He was one of two Cavs (the other being Tyson) to finish top 20 in 3PT percentage.

The Utah State product is already among the best in franchise history in terms of makes, having already drilled 443 (12th) total trays in just 189 games. With Strus out of town, Merrill will likely be counted on like never before to provide gravity to a rotation that desperately needs it in certain lineups. And speaking of lineups…

It’s no secret that the Cavs love Merrill's positional versatility. He is consistently asked to step into the small forward role (spent no less than 52% of his minutes, in any season, at SF since joining the rotation.) Yes, a lot of it has to do with general spacing, or simply trying to find a way to get one of their more impactful players on the court. But I also think it’s fair to suggest that Merrill has thrived there at times due to his connectivity.

He may not be the level of rebounder or facilitator that Strus was but he has still developed a solid chemistry with the bigs whilst also providing a great outlet for the ballhandlers. A skillset that could prove vital to replacing some of what Max added.

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