Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus will likely miss the start of the 2025-26 season after undergoing surgery to repair a Jones fracture in his left foot sustained during an offseason workout, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Tuesday. Charania noted that Strus will be sidelined approximately “three to four months,” which would put him on track to return sometime in November or December.
Strus, 29, has been a key part of the Cavaliers’ rotation since joining the franchise in free agency during the 2023 offseason. After spending three seasons with the Miami Heat, Strus signed a four-year, $63 million deal with the franchise.
During the 2024-25 campaign, he started 37 games and averaged 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists. He was sidelined for the first 27 games last season after suffering an ankle injury in the preseason. Strus made his season debut against the Milwaukee Bucks on Dec. 20 and scored nine points.
The Cavaliers enter the season as the favorite (+230) to win the Eastern Conference. Cleveland finished last year with the best record in the East (64-18) before losing to the Indiana Pacers in five games during the conference semifinals.
Cleveland opens the 2025-26 season on Oct. 22 against the New York Knicks.
