The impending return of sharpshooter Max Strus to the Cavs lineup this week his return will have a major impact on the team. Not only will Cleveland be getting back one of their starters from last year, but it will also affect the playing time of his teammates.
Cavs Sharpshooter Set to Shake Up Rotation
This season, the Cavs have traditionally run a 10-man rotation. Head coach Kenny Atkinson has stressed ‘trusting the depth’ with an extremely talented Cavs roster. The rotation has obviously worked, with Cleveland getting off to a 23-4 start to the season, leading the NBA.
Less Sam Merrill
Most notably, Sam Merrill has seen extended playing time with Strus out of the lineup. It would be difficult to imagine Atkinson extending the rotation to 11 when Strus is back, which means Merrill will either see significantly fewer minutes or be out of the rotation entirely.
So far this season, Merrill is averaging a career-high 20.2 minutes per game and 7.2 points on 33.3% shooting from deep. Merrill is a three-point specialist, he attempts 5.5 threes per game but has seen a dip in his efficiency this year. Merrill burst onto the scene with the Cavs last season, shooting 40.4% on threes last year.
Okoro And Wade
Without Strus this season, both Isaac Okoro and Dean Wade have been inserted into the starting lineup. To start the year, Wade was the starter before an injury put Okoro into that spot. Both players have been extremely effective and while they might see fewer minutes, they will still be a major part of the rotation. Wade has seen a career-high in minutes despite dealing with a lingering ankle injury that he suffered at the back end of last season.
Expect Strus to be eased back into the lineup for the first week or two of his return before getting back into the starting lineup. After that, Strus will likely be inserted back into the starting lineup where he started 70 games last season. In those 70 games, Strus helped the Cavs to a 43-27 record as they finished as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.
Strus is similar stylistically to Wade and Okoro. He prioritizes the three ball and playing defense. The beauty of playing with players like Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Donovan Mitchell is that it allows players like Strus to excel in their roles. Strus is also a great playmaker and secondary ball handler. Last season, Strus averaged four assists per game, which ranked fourth on the Cavs despite him ranking 11th in usage.
The Last Word
The return of Strus to the Cavs lineup is massive. Cleveland is not only getting back a starter, but a leader on the court. Strus had a down year in his first season in Cleveland. Strus shot just 35.1% from three, compared to his 41% shooting season in 2021-22. Though players like Merrill and even rookie Jaylen Tyson will see their minutes restricted, his return is a net positive. Strus is a proven playoff performer and will be huge to a Cavs team hoping to make a deep playoff run.
The post Cavs Sharpshooter Set to Shake Up Rotation appeared first on Last Word On Basketball.