A reminder for NBA fans following injury timelines: a reevaluation doesn’t indicate a return.
During the final week of preseason, the Cleveland Cavaliers faced a potential setback when Max Strus suffered an ankle injury, leading to an announcement that he would be out for six weeks. This was a critical moment for a team looking to establish a new beginning under a new head coach and prove they could compete at a high level with their current roster. While other teams made significant moves, adding players like Karl-Anthony Towns and Paul George, the Cavaliers largely held steady, placing their trust in their existing roster to develop and improve together.
The Max Strus injury was scary
Then Strus went down, and the Cavaliers faced one of the toughest stretches of games to start the season, potentially falling behind in the Eastern Conference standings without their top 3-and-D wing and a key starter.
However, that didn’t happen. Instead, the Cavaliers went on a remarkable 15-game winning streak to start the season without Strus. It wasn’t that they were better off without him, but rather that other players stepped up significantly. Having to dig deeper into the roster didn’t hurt them, and whether it was Isaac Okoro or Dean Wade, the starting lineup remained solid without Strus.
Still, a series of injuries to the wing position proved costly in their first and only loss of the season—a 3-point defeat in Boston to the defending champs. In that game, having a versatile two-way wing like Strus would have made a difference. Against the league’s best teams, having a player like Strus, who fits so well into the starting lineup, becomes much more crucial.
That’s why many Cavaliers fans were eager for Strus’ return. With the original injury timeline marking six weeks, the end of November seemed like a possible target for his comeback. But when head coach Kenny Atkinson gave an injury update on Saturday, the news was disappointing: Strus is “making progress but still a ways away.”
Max Strus isn’t coming back yet
At first glance, it may seem like Atkinson is reporting a setback for Strus. However, this ties back to the initial announcement that Strus would be “reevaluated” in six weeks. That doesn’t necessarily mean a return was expected. For some players, reevaluation means the injury has fully healed, and they quickly transition back to the court.
For others, the reevaluation is simply a check-in that indicates they still need more time. This doesn’t mean the injury is worse than initially feared or that a reinjury occurred, but rather that recovery timelines are estimates, not certainties, and everyone heals at their own pace.
What Atkinson didn’t mention was that Strus required surgery, additional procedures, or different treatments. He is still progressing and healing, just not yet ready to return. While the Cavaliers would love to have him back soon, this update is not catastrophic—just a bit disappointing.
Isaac Okoro is set to return and rejoin the starting lineup, while Dean Wade and Caris LeVert are dealing with minor injuries that shouldn’t keep them out long. Rookie Jaylon Tyson is also ready to take on a larger role. With a 16-1 record, the Cavaliers are not in a rush for Strus’ return—they can manage without him for now.
When the playoffs arrive, the Cavaliers will need all their top players, including Strus. For now, however, they can afford to be patient.
And the next time a team announces a player’s reevaluation, don’t immediately mark your calendar for a return.
