Max Strus agrees to 4-year, $63M sign-and-trade with Cavaliers

Free agent guard Max Strus has agreed to a four-year, $63 million deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers, his agents, Mark Bartelstein and Kieran Piller of Priority Sports, told ESPN on Saturday morning.

The Cavaliers are landing Strus in a three-team sign-and-trade agreement that’ll send Cedi Osman, Lamar Stevens and a second-round pick to the San Antonio Spurs and a Cleveland second-round pick to the Miami Heat, sources told ESPN.

Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman and GM Mike Gansey had targeted shooting as an offseason priority for the franchise, and now they’ve landed both Strus and Sixers guard Georges Niang in the opening hours of free agency — and kept Caris LeVert on a two-year, $32 million deal.

Strus, 27, has been another significant Heat developmental success story, playing an immense role in the team’s run to the NBA Finals last season. Strus averaged a career-high 11.5 points for the Heat.

Strus received praise from his teammates and coaches over the past few seasons because of a solid work ethic and an ability to hit shots from the outside. Strus started all 23 games for the Heat in the playoffs after starting all 18 games in the postseason a year ago during Miami’s run to the Eastern Conference finals.

The DePaul alum is a career 37.1% shooter from beyond the arc but ran hot and cold during the playoffs. He was a good barometer for how well Miami played as he shot 37.2% from 3 in wins and 24.6% in losses.

In addition to Strus, the Cavaliers agreed to a two-year, $5 million deal with guard Ty Jerome, his agent Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports told ESPN. Jerome, who turns 26 later this month, averaged nearly 7 points and 3 assists while shooting 38.9% from 3 in 45 games with the Golden State Warriors last season.

The Cavaliers also acquired center Damian Jones in a separate deal with the Utah Jazz, sources told ESPN. The Cavs just absorbed Jones’ $2.6 million.

Jones, who just turned 28, has career averages of 5.2 points and 3.4 rebounds and provides more frontcourt depth for Cleveland.