The Cleveland Cavaliers will be without forward Max Strus for three to four months after he underwent successful surgery on his left foot on Tuesday.
Strus suffered a Jones fracture, a fracture to the bone that connects the little toe, during offseason training. Team doctors say he could return to basketball activities in three to four months.
The NBA 2025–26 season is set to begin on October 22 against New York. It's a big loss for the Cavs, who posted a 64–18 record last season, the best in the Eastern Conference.
Last year, Strus averaged 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 50 games, 37 of which he started. In the playoffs, he posted career-high averages of 11.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists before they were eliminated in the second round by Indiana.
The 29-year-old undrafted forward signed a four-year, $3.7 billion contract with the Cavaliers in 2023. Before that, he played for Chicago and Miami. Strus also missed the first six weeks of last season with an ankle sprain.
