The Cavs are ready to weather a longer absence
A Reminder for NBA Fans: Reevaluation Doesn’t Guarantee a Return
In the final week of preseason, the Cleveland Cavaliers experienced a scare when Max Strus injured his ankle, sidelining him for an estimated six weeks. The team, under a new head coach, aimed to prove their contender status without making major roster changes, trusting their existing players to grow. While rivals like the Timberwolves and Clippers added stars like Karl-Anthony Towns and Paul George, the Cavaliers opted for continuity.
The Strus Injury Raised Concerns
Strus’s injury was a significant blow, especially as the Cavaliers faced a tough early-season schedule. Losing their best 3-and-D wing and a key starter threatened to derail their plans and drop them in the Eastern Conference standings.
However, the opposite occurred. The Cavaliers started the season with an incredible 15-game win streak despite Strus’s absence. This wasn’t because they were better without him but because others stepped up. Players like Isaac Okoro and Dean Wade filled the void, and the lineup didn’t falter.
Yet, injuries to other wings impacted them in their first loss of the season—a narrow three-point defeat to the defending champions in Boston. In critical matchups, having a two-way wing like Strus would have been invaluable.
Fans Await Strus’s Return
As the initial six-week timeline neared its end in late November, many fans anticipated Strus’s return. However, head coach Kenny Atkinson provided an update, saying Strus was “making progress but still a ways away.”
What Reevaluation Really Means
This update may have seemed like a setback, but it aligns with the original announcement that Strus would be reevaluated after six weeks. Reevaluation doesn’t guarantee a return—it’s an assessment. Some players are cleared and return quickly, while others need more recovery time.
Strus’s extended timeline doesn’t indicate a reinjury or worsened condition. Atkinson didn’t mention surgery or alternative treatments, only that Strus was progressing. While disappointing, it’s not a cause for alarm.
The Cavaliers Can Afford Patience
The team isn’t desperate. Okoro is set to return, Wade and Caris LeVert are managing minor issues, and rookie Jaylon Tyson is ready for more responsibility. At 16-1, the Cavaliers remain in a strong position to weather Strus’s absence.
By playoff time, having Strus and other key players healthy will be crucial. For now, patience is the best approach.
So, when a team announces a reevaluation timeline, remember—it’s not a guaranteed return date.
