AUGUST 6: The Heat and Strus have made it official, per a team release.
“As one of our young developing players, Max proved he can be very productive for us,” team president Pat Riley said in a statement. “He stepped up when needed last season and produced. His shooting and overall game is going to help our team immensely.”
AUGUST 2: The Heat will re-sign third-year free agent swingman Max Strus on a two-year contract worth $3.5MM, his agent Mark Bartelstein informs Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (via Twitter). This sum is in line with the amount of a veteran’s minimum deal for Strus.
After going undrafted in 2019 out of DePaul, the Hickory Hills, Illinois native joined his home state Bulls on a two-way contract for the 2019/20 season. Strus suited up for 13 games with Chicago’s NBAGL affiliate, the Windy City Bulls, and had a two-game cameo with Chicago, before suffering a season-ending left ACL tear.
Strus then inked a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 camp deal with the Heat ahead of the 2020/21 season, and later was brought on as a two-way player for the rest of the year. The Heat extended a $50K qualifying offer to the 6’5″ wing this summer, making him a restricted free agent under team control.
During his 39 games with Miami, the 25-year-old Strus averaged 6.1 PPG in 13.0 MPG, while nailing 45.5% of his field goal looks, 33.8% of his three-point tries, and 66.7% of his free throws.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
league changing
Was thinking he would be brought back on 1 of the 2 way deals, but they should have had a couple of spots available at the end of the roster, so I’ll take that. Would have liked 3 years though. How do Bird Rights work for a guy that was on a 2 way deal and then signs for 2 years? Would it count as 3 years total, and they’d have full Bird Rights, would it just be early Bird rights for the 2 years?
I think they’ll probably end up bringing in at least 1 guy from summer league on the roster, plus obviously the 2 open 2 way spits now, assuming they lose Gabe Vincent and Nunn
A year spent on a two-way contract counts toward accumulating Bird rights.
Nice
Strus is a Duncan Robinson like project.. this could pay off huge in a year or two
Strus looked good in the few games he played last season.
In the short time Strus has been with the HEAT, it’s very obvious he’s gone through the same hard-wiring as Duncan Robinson has – he does not hesitate on any of his shots and shoots it with utmost confidence.
Nice role player to have, could be another feather on the cap for the HEAT’s development staff.
Really liked him in summer league with the bulls before he tore his ACL. Identified him as a Miamk Heat player. He plays hard and has a good basketball IQ
He looked good, shot the ball with confidence, no hesitation whatsoever ……. played within the flow of the game.
More than a few hardcore CELTICS fans still lament the day he was cut.
Good piece to have at the end of that bench.
He also cuts hard, and can put the ball on the floor, and defends adequately