Max Strus' Rapport With Evan Mobley Could Mirror Connection With Ex-Heat Teammate
When the Cleveland Cavaliers entered the 2023 NBA offseason, the team understood what was needed from a spacing standpoint. Addressing clogged lanes and a lack of three-point threats, the Cavs turned to sharpshooters Max Strus, Georges Niang and Ty Jerome in free agency.
Strus was atop Cleveland’s wish list due to his playoff experience, ability to hit tough shots and, maybe most importantly, an ability to create havoc in the half-court off the ball and on the move.
We saw the kind of impact Strus had when paired with his three-year Miami Heat teammate, All-Star big man Bam Adebayo. Together in a lethal two-man game, Adebayo would have the ball in his hands at the top of the floor and make it difficult for the defense to make a decision.
People who had to guard against it either had to go around Adebayo to chase a 37% career gunner on a handoff, or Bam could fake it and go to work off the dribble. And if Strus didn’t shoot after the handoff, he’d be able to time things up on a pocket pass to a rolling Adebayo when necessary. It’s a quick read play with multiple options, which made life easier on other Heat players to boot.
Zoom forward to October, and Strus has big things in mind concerning Evan Mobley.
“Evan's a phenomenal passer and has great vision, let alone being a phenomenal scorer already. So as young as he is and as talented as he is, I think me and him can build a connection together,” Strus said after Day 2 of Cavs training camp.
“I can't put a timeline on how long it's gonna take. But all these training camp reps, preseason games, first couple weeks of the season, we're gonna keep building our foundation together and keep building that connection. Hopefully, by midseason, it's as good as it can get. I do see a good future with me and Evan in those handoffs and stuff like that.”
After the third day of camp, Mobley revealed that Strus personally went to his new Cleveland teammates to find a way to send him the film of the rapport between Max and Bam. Evan admitted that he didn’t even think about it until he watched it over.
Apr 21, 2023; New York, New York, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) drives to the basket against New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) and forward Julius Randle (30) during the first quarter of game three of the 2023 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden.
© Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
“I feel great honestly, even before training camp when we'd just do our mini-camps in different areas. Just playing with him, getting to know him,” Mobley said. “Me and him were just good in the two-man game and pick-and-roll. He knows how to find me in the pocket when I want it, and also he's a threat for shooting as well. So that creates a lot of openings for me, and if not for me, for him. So I feel like that two-man is gonna be getting better and better by the day.
“I feel like it's very similar to how I like playing [pick-and-roll] as well.”
As confident as they both are, replicating a near-flawless chemistry that Strus had with Adebayo will be difficult, but there is clearly optimism with a new wrinkle in this Cavs’ offense.
“Just learning me,” Strus said of how Mobley can get to that point. “Just learning how I like a handoff or when I like to be throwing it too. Just playing off of each other. And I need to do the same with him, how he likes the ball back to him or where he wants it to be delivered. It's an everyday thing that me and him have already been working on, so we will continue to do it and get more comfortable with each other.”
