AP Photo/Nick Wass

Max Strus Agrees to 4-Year, $63M Cavs Contract in 3-Team Sign-and-Trade Deal

Doric Sam

Former Miami Heat guard Max Strus will be on the move this offseason after he agreed to a four-year, $63 million million contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The deal is part of a three-team sign-and-trade that includes the San Antonio Spurs. The Heat will receive a second-round pick, with Cedi Osman and Lamar Stevens going from Cleveland to San Antonio.

Strus became a free agent this summer after his two-year deal with Miami ended, and he decided to test himself by leaving a situation that was familiar.

The 27-year-old entered the NBA as an undrafted free agent in 2019 with the Boston Celtics. He was eventually waived and signed by the Chicago Bulls, but he suffered a torn ACL that limited him to two games as a rookie.

Strus joined Miami on a two-way contract for the 2020-21 season before receiving a two-year contract worth $3.5 million the following summer. He eventually emerged as a key member of the Heat rotation.

In 2022-23, Strus appeared in 80 games with 33 starts and averaged 11.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. He shot 35.0 percent from beyond the arc, ranking second on the team with averages of 2.5 three-pointers made and 7.0 three-point attempts, trailing only Tyler Herro.

Strus' best performance this past year came when he poured in a season-high 31 points with eight three-pointers in a win over the Charlotte Hornets in November. During the postseason, he started all 23 games and averaged 9.3 points and 3.6 rebounds as Miami made a run to the NBA Finals and lost to the Denver Nuggets in five games.

Strus joins a strong Cavaliers core that includes the star backcourt of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland and talented big men Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.

The DePaul product will look to continue his sharpshooting ways for Cleveland next season and beyond.

   

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