The Miami Heat reportedly could use sharpshooter Max Strus as a trade chip to acquire a “high-quality starter” at this season’s trade deadline.
Strus, who will be an unrestricted free agent this coming offseason, has been a key piece in Miami’s rotation these past two seasons.
“With Max Strus playing better recently, that could incline the Heat to keep him and sign him this summer, though Strus could be put in play for a high-quality starter,” the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson wrote. “Impending free agent Omer Yurtseven could be a chip, but he’s still weeks from returning from ankle surgery.”
The Heat reportedly aren’t looking to shake up their roster ahead of the deadline after a recent hot stretch, but the team could look to move Strus if it feels he will command too much in the open market this offseason.
The Heat brought back Duncan Robinson on a massive deal a few offseasons ago, and it has backfired on the team with Strus emerging as a better all-around player. The emergence of Strus moved Robinson to a bench role or at times pushed him completely out of the rotation.
This season, Strus has appeared in 44 games for the Heat and has made 24 starts. He’s averaging 13.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game while shooting 40.3 percent from the field and 33.9 percent from beyond the arc.
Strus’ efficiency has certainly taken a hit from last season when he shot 44.1 percent from the field and 41.0 percent from 3-point range. However, he’s still a valuable threat for Miami from beyond the arc, and his frame allows him to match up well with bigger guards on the wing.
The Heat have come on as of late, partly because the team is starting to get healthy. Miami has won seven of its last 10 games to move into the No. 6 spot in the Eastern Conference.
The team could look to upgrade the forward position by trading Strus, a spot that was weakened by the departure of P.J. Tucker in free agency this past offseason.
Essentially, Miami needs to decide if it can get an upgrade for Strus at the deadline or hold onto him and bring him back in the offseason.
An undrafted free agent out of DePaul University, Strus began his NBA career with the Chicago Bulls before coming to Miami in the 2020-21 season. In 151 games for the Heat he has averaged 10.2 points per game and shot 37.2 percent from deep.
