Strus agrees to $63M deal and heads to Cleveland after helping Miami make finals, AP sources say

By TIM REYNOLDS
AP Basketball Writer

Max Strus helped Miami get to the NBA Finals, and his stock soared in the process.

Strus is headed to the Cleveland Cavaliers, agreeing to a $63 million, four-year deal that was finalized Saturday by making the transaction part of a three-team trade, according to two people familiar with the negotiations.

Strus goes to the Cavaliers, who will send Cedi Osman and Lamar Stevens to San Antonio while Miami gets future second-round draft compensation, said the people who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade terms have not been approved by the NBA.

ESPN first reported the trade agreement.

Strus was a starter for Miami in its playoff runs over the last two years, including this past season’s trip to the finals against Denver. He averaged a career-best 11.5 points per game this past season and has shot 37% from 3-point range in his career.

Cleveland clearly prioritized shooting. The Cavs struck deals with Caris LeVert ($32 million, two years) and Georges Niang ($26 million, three years) on Friday; Niang is a career 40% shooter on 3s, and LeVert shot a career-best 39% from beyond the arc this past season.

Most deals cannot be finalized until July 6, and Strus became one of the biggest names to leave for a new team in the early stages of free agency. Fred VanVleet ($130 million, three years) left Toronto for Houston, and Bruce Brown Jr. ($45 million, two years) left NBA champion Denver for Indiana.

Many players stayed put: Jerami Grant ($160 million, five years) remains in Portland, Kyrie Irving ($126 million, three years) remains in Dallas, Cam Johnson ($108 million, four years) stays in Brooklyn, Khris Middleton ($102 million, three years) stays in Milwaukee, Kyle Kuzma ($102 million, four years) remains in Washington and Draymond Green ($100 million, four years) remains with Golden State.

And two players eligible for rookie-scale extensions also cashed in early Saturday on deals that will take effect in 2024-25 — Desmond Bane in Memphis and Tyrese Haliburton in Indiana got contracts that will be worth an estimated $207 million apiece over five years, with Haliburton potentially able to reach $260 million if he makes an All-NBA team.

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