Cavaliers small forward Max Strus will be out for at least six weeks due to a right ankle injury he suffered during a recent workout, adding to the challenges for a Cleveland team that faced many injuries last season.
The Cavs announced on Saturday that Strus, who had already been dealing with a hip injury from the team’s first exhibition game, got hurt during an individual workout on Thursday. He will be evaluated again after six weeks.
Cleveland, which reached the Eastern Conference semifinals last season despite several serious injuries, starts its season on Wednesday in Toronto. The Cavs will have their home opener on Friday against Detroit and former coach J.B. Bickerstaff.
Strus, who is in his second season with the Cavs after being acquired in a sign-and-trade deal with Miami last year, made 70 starts for Cleveland and averaged 12.2 points and 4.8 rebounds in 32 minutes per game.
He suffered a hip injury during Cleveland’s preseason opener on October 8 while trying to take a charge in the second quarter against Bulls rookie forward Matas Buzelis. Strus took the hit and fell hard but stayed in the game before limping off to the locker room.
After the game, the Cavs reported that Strus had a bruised hip.
Strus previously played three seasons with the Heat and one with the Chicago Bulls.