Trade Proposal Sends Cavs’ Max Strus To Blazers For Robert Williams III

July 23, 2024

One Hoops Wire analyst proposed that the Cleveland Cavaliers trade guard/forward Max Strus to the Portland Trail Blazers for center Robert Williams III in a hypothetical NBA deal.

While Strus isn’t believed to be available, Williams very well could be. The Blazers already have center Deandre Ayton, and selected Donovan Clingan with the No. 7 overall draft pick. That may leave Williams as the odd man out.

And the Cavs desperately need a backup center for Jarrett Allen. Of course, in this instance, the Cavs would be trading a starter (Strus) for a reserve (Williams). It would also take away some of the Cavs’ perimeter shooting — an area in which they struggled mightily for the majority of the postseason.

Strus was supposed to help fix that. He only partially helped. There’s no questioning his effort and all-out rugged determination. But his shot remains streaky, just as it was while with the Miami Heat.

Meanwhile, Williams is wildly injury-prone. So there’s always a concern there. When healthy, though, he’s starter-worthy, as he proved during his run with the Boston Celtics.

“Betting on his health isn’t a modest risk. He missed most of last season with a right knee injury and has appeared in just 41 games over the past two years,” wrote Dan Favale of Bleacher Report. “Still, the potential payoff is worth the nondescript financial investment. RW3 is on the books through 2025-26…for a total of just $25.7 million.”

Granted, if the Cavs traded Strus, they’d suddenly have a small forward issue. Perhaps Caris LeVert could move into the spot. Or Isaac Okoro, provided he returns via restricted free agency. And while it’s doubtful rookie Jaylon Tyson is ready to start, he can play both guard spots and on the wing. So if he’s ready to contribute, moving Strus for a quality big man might be easier.

A healthy Williams would be a major boost to any NBA frontcourt. Strus would add grit and (occasional) outside shooting for a fairly young Blazers squad.

Now, these hypothetical trades are all for fun, and it’s important to note that none of these are actually being considered (as far as we know). Let us know your thoughts on a potential Strus-Williams swap, and why it would or wouldn’t be a good idea, in the comments section below.