2023 NBA Free Agency: 5 underrated deals that could shift NBA landscape

No. 3 underrated NBA free agency deal: Max Strus to Cavs

Contract details: 4 years, $63 million

The Cavs were swiftly ousted from the first round of the playoffs in large part because of the wing rotation. The list of wings who could survive both offensively and defensively in a postseason environment was approximately nonexistent. Well, now at least there’s one player on the roster who fits the bill.

Strus is exactly what Cleveland needs. On offense, he’s a dynamic shooter who’s constantly in motion. He runs the floor hard, he’s capable of beating closeouts and making the simple passing read, and he will have stretches of absolute torrid shot-making from long range. The Cavs’ spacing can get a bit murky with Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley in the frontcourt; Strus will keep defenses stretched thin.

On the defensive end, Strus simply competes. He’s not the best athlete but he’s strong with positional size and great instincts. A product of #HeatCulture, Strus knows where to be and how to make the best use of his limited tools. He was on the floor for 28.2 minutes per game in the playoffs with Miami. Caris LeVert and Isaac Okoro are fine 82-game players. Strus is a proven 16-game player who should immediately take over the fifth starting spot.

Cleveland should be a contender next season. With the Sixers about to lose James Harden and the Bucks and Celtics looking more vulnerable than ever, the door is wide open. Strus won’t solve every issue that led to Cleveland’s stunning first-round exit, but he’s a step in the right direction for a team with the ability to really make noise in the East.