Cavaliers Guard Could Miss Preseason Game Against Pacers With Hip Injury

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus missed practice Wednesday, leaving his availability for the team's next preseason game in jeopardy.

Apr 30, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus (1) reacts after being called for a foul during the second half against the Orlando Magic in game five of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Cleveland Cavaliers Forward Max Strus exited the Cavs’ first preseason game with a hip injury and did not return. Now, the twenty-eight-year-old could be missing the team’s second preseason game against the Indiana Pacers after not participating in practice Wednesday.

Strus played a vital role for the Cavaliers last season, starting 70 games in the regular season and all 12 postseason games.

After just 9 minutes on the floor against the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday, Strus exited with what was labeled as a hip contusion. Luckily for the team, he appeared to avoid anything serious.

“It’s going to be day-to-day, I think he took an elbow in the hip,” Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson said at Wednesday’s practice at the Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Even with a “day-to-day” designation for Strus, it could still cause him to miss some time during the preseason.

The Cavs' next game is against the Indiana Pacers Thursday. When asked if he would prepare for the game as if Strus were to be out, Atkinson said, “Probably.”

The Cavs’ upcoming schedule should help aid Strus’ recovery. After Thursday, the Cavs get a prolonged rest until their next preseason game on October 16th, allowing him to take more than a week to heal if needed.

What players could step up to fill the spot on the starting roster? Well, in the game, sharpshooter Sam Merill stepped in initially before Atkinson experimented with a lineup that featured Dean Wade alongside big men Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.

When Atkinson was asked about it, Atkinson mentioned both players, stating, “Max goes out. Do we put in Sam? Sam would’ve been the more logical choice maybe. But then we said, ‘Hey, part of the experimenting plan, let’s go with Dean.’ It looked good. It’s just something we’ve got to work on a little more. Just trying some things out to be ready for the regular season.”

So, Wade is a safe bet to see some floor time with the starters, but expect a few different looks to the Cavs rotation throughout Thursday night’s game.