“Although I was never presented with the option of returning, nor did last season end how I wanted to, I will never forget all that this year brought,” said Ty Jerome in his farewell message. Despite the Cleveland Cavaliers recording their best regular-season record (64-18) since the 2008-09 season, the team still went through some changes in the off-season. Ty Jerome joined the Memphis Grizzlies after he entered free agency, while Issac Okoro, who was reportedly the ‘obvious dump candidate, ’ was traded in exchange for Lonzo Ball. As Milwaukee Bucks forward Kyle Korver once said, trades and exits from teams “is the tension in the NBA”. Fortunately, Max Strus is not willing to take too much tension over it, and looks optimistic for the future.
The Cleveland Cavaliers’ small forward/shooting guard recently sat down for an interview with ‘Fear the Sword’. The team is still reportedly a month and a half away from training camp, but practice sessions have already begun. This early jump on things isn’t due to building up the team’s morale since, as Strus highlighted, “it’s not like we need the team bonding, we’re all pretty close and have that going for us already.” However, even a few minor changes have transformed the same team that won 64 games last season. Therefore, the new team and new players have to be accommodated.
“You never want to see people go. We love Isaac. We love Ty. Losing guys always sucks, especially after the success we had and the team that we had…that’s the nature of the business,” said Strus. “It’s going to be a new team, and new guys are going to come in. So it’s up to us to welcome them, and they’ve been great so far.”
Max Strus held both players in high regard. After Ty Jerome became just the third player in Cavaliers history to score 28 or more points in his playoff debut (after LeBron James and Kyrie Irving), reports came out stating that “Max Strus after the game said Ty Jerome is built for games like this, built for the moment. So it’s not just talk, it’s walking it and backing it up.” This was a contrast from Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson, who reportedly wasn’t even sure how much Jerome could contribute in the playoffs.
As for Okoro, Strus had to cover for both him and Dean Wade, aka two of Cleveland’s best on-ball perimeter defenders, after the duo were sidelined for a little while. Strus admitted to it being a “challenge”, given how good Okoro is as a perimeter defender. Former Cavs head coach J. B. Bickerstaff knew this and was confident enough to say that “Isaac Okoro is the best perimeter defender in the league, hands down”. During the 2024–25 season, players defended by Okoro reportedly shot 5% worse from the field on 2-point field goals. Furthermore, they shot 8.5% worse on shots six feet or less from the rim.
Apr 22, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Isaac Okoro (35) follows through on a three-point basket attempt in the second quarter against the Orlando Magic during game two of the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
As Carmelo Anthony once said, “I don’t feel like there’s loyalty in sports…. It’s a business”. Despite the success the Cavaliers had gained in the previous NBA season, they still suffered from the issues of the luxury tax and apron limits. The team needed to reportedly shed some salary before they pursued Ty Jerome and sharpshooter Sam Merrill.
As CBS’s Sam Quinn wrote, “Cleveland is already far beyond next year’s projected second apron, and that’s before potentially re-signing Ty Jerome and/or Sam Merrill. The Cavaliers will look to save money somewhere, and Okoro’s playoff disappointments make him an obvious dump candidate.” Okoro was lost, and Jerome, anyway, didn’t choose to re-sign with the team.
Having been in the NBA for six years and switching three teams during that time period, Strus is not oblivious to change. Fortunately, he is willing to focus only on the future. That same mindset is also what the rest of the squad holds.
Max Strus reveals Cavs squad is “locked in”
As ‘Fear the Sword’ reporter Jackson Flickinger highlighted, it is still difficult to truly assess what went wrong for the Cleveland Cavaliers during the team’s most recent season. ‘The Athletic’s Jason Lloyd attributed this to a toughness factor, which was the lack of it. Reports also blamed the players’ injuries for losing momentum in the postseason. As Flickinger highlighted, it is up to the group to determine if last season was “a necessary speed bump” or “a fatal flaw” that proves the team will never recover. With Max Strus, the team is currently taking the right approach.
“It kind of stuck out that everybody’s in shape already. It seems like everybody’s pretty locked in on making themselves better. And then when we finally got together as a team, it seems like everybody’s locked in and wants bigger and better things,” said Strus. When asked about the team’s goal, the De Paul alum added, “Winning. Simply put. Getting the guys back together and doing what we do best, and putting our best foot forward, and making it farther than we did last year. A championship is still on the horizon for us, and that’s where we all have our mindset.”
Mar 7, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus (1) brings the ball up court against the Charlotte Hornets during the third quarter at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images
Max Strus reportedly excels in moving around the court. He opens up enough space for the team’s scoring attack. However, his 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists averaged in the 2024-25 season were a downgrade from his performance in the previous seasons. Whether the renewed focus and the ‘locked in’ mindset that Max Strus described will be enough to propel the new-look Cavaliers to new heights remains to be seen. But with Strus as a vocal leader and the team’s championship aspirations still firmly in sight, the franchise is clearly not letting go of its championship dreams just yet.
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