Max Strus’ time with the Miami Heat might be over, but the relationships he built during his time with the organization will last forever.
The current Cleveland Cavaliers sharpshooter shared a story to Instagram on Monday showing love to two of his former Heat teammates, Caleb Martin and Gabe Vincent.
Strus swapped jerseys with both players during the 2023-24 season, and it looks like they’re now on display in his Cleveland home.
It’s a Los Angeles Lakers jersey for Vincent — as he spent last season with L.A. and remains a member of the team going into the 2024-25 season — and a Heat jersey for Martin, as he was still with Miami last season before leaving the team this offseason to join the Philadelphia 76ers.
All three players were teammates on the Heat as recently as the 2022-23 season but are now playing for different teams.
Strus, Martin and Vincent — who were all originally undrafted — helped the Heat reach the NBA Finals in 2023. Vincent was also part of the 2020 NBA Finals team, though his role was small at that stage of his career.
While none of the three players are with the Heat anymore, they’re all on teams that have hopes of contending this coming season and beyond. Vincent’s Lakers are hoping to make some noise in the Western Conference, while Strus’ Cavs and Martin’s 76ers are hoping to be factors in the Eastern Conference.
The Heat, however, would like to be the last NBA team standing this coming season, even if it means spoiling the goals of some of their former players. Miami has had a quiet offseason but could still be a threat in the Eastern Conference if the team exceeds expectations like it has so many times before.
While it may be tough for Heat fans to accept that Strus, Martin and Vincent have all moved on, it’s heartwarming to see that there’s still a brotherhood there.
The Heat certainly deserve credit for helping their careers grow, and they likely won’t be the last players who benefit from playing in Miami’s system.