The Miami Heat may have spoken to the Cleveland Cavaliers and one other team about a sign-and-trade involving Heat guard Max Strus, according to a Friday tweet from Miami Herald reporter Barry Jackson.
“Per source, Heat has spoken to Cleveland and a third team about sign and trade involving Strus, with Strus going to Cavs in this scenario,” Jackson wrote. “Heat would get back small assets (not a player, in permutation discussed).”
Strus, a former standout from DePaul University, averaged 11.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game for the Heat last season. He has spent the last three seasons in Miami, playing in 187 games and starting in 49. Strus hit 35% of his 3-point shots last season, putting him at just over 1% lower than the league average last season, but has a comfortable 37.1% average throughout his blossoming NBA career.
Miami re-signed Strus to a two-year, $3.5 million contract extension in 2021.
“As one of our young developing players, Max proved he can be very productive for us,” Heat President Pat Riley said in a 2021 release. “He stepped up when needed last season and produced. His shooting and overall game is going to help our team immensely.”
Strus played in four games against the Cleveland Cavaliers last season, including a four-point Heat win at the Kaseya Center in March. The 6-foot-5-inch guard scored 14 points as he fired confident shots from the 3-point line, ending the night with four made long-range shots on seven attempts.
Cleveland fully guaranteed the contract of forward Cedi Osman and tendered a qualifying offer to forward Isaiah Mobley on Thursday. It did not extend a qualifying offer to forward Dylan Windler, who had spent the last three seasons with the Cavaliers. Osman, along with forwards Isaac Okoro, Evan Mobley, Dean Wade and Lamar Stevens, make up some of the options under contract at the three and the four for the Cavs next season.