Max Strus underwent surgery on Tuesday to repair a fractured fifth metatarsal bone in his left foot sustained during offseason training. The surgery was performed by Dr. David Porter at the Ford Sports Medicine & Orthopedics Center in Indianapolis, with the participation of Cavaliers team physician Dr. James Rosnecker.

The news was first reported by ESPN's Shams Charania and later confirmed by the Cleveland Cavaliers. According to the official announcement, Strus is expected to resume basketball training in three to four months, and the team will provide updates on his injury status as appropriate.

Strus's injury means he will miss at least the start of the 2025/26 season. He also missed a long period of time at the beginning of last season due to an ankle injury and did not make his season debut until December 20 against the Milwaukee Bucks.

However, after returning from injury, Strus quickly became a key part of the Cavaliers' offense and defense. Throughout the 2024/25 season, he played 50 games in the regular season, averaging 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game, shooting 44.2% from the field and 38.6% from three-point range.

During the playoffs, Strus played nine games for the Cavaliers, averaging 11.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game while shooting 41.6% from the field and 38.8% from three-point range. Ultimately, the Cavaliers were eliminated by the Pacers 4-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The 29-year-old Strus primarily plays small forward and shooting guard and entered the NBA as an undrafted player in 2019. He has played for the Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, and Miami Heat, and also played in the Development League for the Bulls' affiliate, the Windy City Bulls.

In July 2023, Strus signed a four-year, $63 million contract with the Cavaliers. In his first season in Cleveland, he played in 70 regular season games, averaging a career-high 12.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game, while shooting 41.8% from the field and 35.1% from three-point range.