Cavs Notes: Max Strus, Georges Niang, Lineup, Training Camp

It wouldn’t be the least bit surprising if Max Strus were to start at small forward for the Cavaliers. After all, that’s what he was signed to do, wrote Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com in his latest mailbag.

Strus, 27, is 6-foot-5 and comes to Cleveland with a reputation for knocking down perimeter shots. That’s what the Cavs sought most this offseason — additional outside shooting.

And as Fedor noted, Strus was signed to a four-year, $62 million contract. “Strus was signed to start — and it would be a massive upset if (J.B. Bickerstaff) were to go another direction,” he wrote.

So entering camp, the starting lineup will look like this — Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen and yes, Strus.

But think of the depth that gives the Cavs. With Strus presumably starting, the likes of Caris LeVert and Isaac Okoro will come off the bench at the wing spots, with forward Georges Niang, guard Ty Jerome and perhaps even guard Sam Merrill adding some outside shooting in reserve.

It’s equally intriguing to think about what could happen if the likes of Dean Wade, Tristan Thompson and Damian Jones become regular contributors in the frontcourt.

• The Cavs intend to diversify the offense this season, Fedor wrote. This after a season in which they almost always resorted to a basic pick-and-roll. Now, additional outside shooting should allow Bickerstaff to get more creative.
• Niang said he’s especially excited to be in Cleveland. “(They) were looking for a veteran shooters and I was looking for a team that is dedicated to winning,” he said. “It’s a perfect fit.” You can check out the full post here.
• And hey, let’s not forget about rookie forward Emoni Bates. “Helping lead Cleveland to the Summer League title in Vegas, the 6-9 swingman — tabbed with the 49^th overall pick out of Eastern Michigan — averaged 17.2 points per as the Cavs went undefeated through six games 9in Summer League),” wrote Joe Gabriele of Cavs.com. 
• Media Day is set for Monday, Oct. 2. That’s a week from this post. Training camp follows the next day.
• I’ve found most people don’t really start paying attention to the NBA until about Christmas. It’s generally all football, all the time until then. But I’ve covered the league out of Cleveland for more than a decade. So I write with great confidence that Cavs fans are passionate right away.
• Be sure to follow us all season right here on Hoops Wire. And if you don’t care about the rest of the NBA, just go ahead and make your home page our Cavs page.