Cavaliers Receive Brutal Injury News on Starter

The Cleveland Cavaliers have received a brutal injury update about a starter.

May 13, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus (1) reacts after making a three-point basket against the Boston Celtics in the second quarter of game four of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. / David Richard-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers are gearing up for the start of the 2024-25 NBA regular season. Unfortunately, they are going to be starting off the year without a key starter.

According to the team, as shared by our own Spencer Davies, Max Strus will miss at least the first six weeks of the season due to an ankle sprain.

#Cavs announce that Max Strus has a right ankle sprain and will miss at least six weeks. He will then be reevaluated. pic.twitter.com/UNHXlT8BJY

— Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) October 19, 2024

Strus has been projected to be the starting small forward for the Cavaliers this season. He brings elite three-point shooting to the court, which is extremely valuable for Cleveland.

During the 2023-24 NBA season with the Cavaliers, Strus ended up playing in 70 games. He averaged 12.2 points per game to go along with 4.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists. In addition to his averages he shot 41.8 percent from the floor and knocked down 35.1 percent of his three-point attempts.

In his place, it's likely that Isaac Okoro will be the team's starting small forward.

Obviously, this is a huge loss for Cleveland. Strus has become a key part of the starting lineup and his shooting will be missed. Even though he didn't shoot a great percentage last season, the threat of him on the perimeter is something that opposing defenses have to pay attention to.

Hopefully, he'll be able to attack the rehab process and get back on the court as soon as possible.

To start off the season, the Cavaliers will face off against the Toronto Raptors on the road. That game will be on October 23rd.

While the excitement for the start of the regular season is beginning to rise, the injury to Strus is deflating for Cleveland. His absence will be felt by the team, but at least the injury occurred at the beginning of the year and not down the stretch.

As more updates become available about Strus and his recovery, we'll make sure to share them with you.