Miami Heat: Max Strus Looks To Be As Advertised From Summer

Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat celebrates a dunk with Max Strus #31 against the Chicago Bulls(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat celebrates a dunk with Max Strus #31 against the Chicago Bulls(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

The Miami Heat enter this upcoming season with a beautiful problem on their hands, well, something that’s really not a problem at all. In past seasons, the Heat might have found themselves in scenarios where their offense became stale or bogged down.

That shouldn’t be an issue this year, as they have shot-makers all over the floor and should expect to see improvement from their returning guys. While Tyler Herro has already jumped back onto the scene in a major way, though just preseason, guys like Bam Adebayo showed you something too with a more tenacious aggressiveness on the offensive end.

They weren’t alone though and that’s outside of other key guys like Kyle Lowry and P.J. Tucker. While Dewayne Dedmon’s impact and Caleb Martin’s energy are worthy topics to discuss here, the topic at hand is the play and apparent, mentality, of one Max Strus.

Coming into this game off an amazing and electric summer circuit of play, Strus continued to show off the ability that had people wondering if he should have been All-Summer League.

The Miami Heat will need all of their guys to come through at the highest of levels to win big. That includes the bench and especially guys like Max Strus.

While he was snubbed there, he did manage to continue to platform himself in the conversation of potential best reserve guys in the league.

Finishing with 14 points and an assist on 5-10 from the floor and 4-8 from deep in Monday’s preseason opener, Strus showed off his range and while contested in some cases, along with the other multiple aspects of his game.

He can get it done off the bounce. He can score in the middle areas.

He can also get all the way to the rim and finish with force once he arrives. Though he didn’t have a chance to put a full-on aerial display on for the people on Monday, you saw a few things that provided a little insight on it.

Max Strus will be the barometer of the second unit. He won’t be the best guy there, as that’s for Herro, but he’ll definitely be two or three.

Probably second and regardless of where he actually slots in there, it’ll be because of what he does well that’ll help them be their best. That’s unconscious shooting from range and the ability to mix it up.

As Duncan Robinson displays for the first unit, when you have a guy of that ilk able to threaten the defense from the type of range and with that type of consistency, it does wonders for the guys playing alongside them. Max will be that for the Miami Heat.

That’s the main reason why he looks exactly as advertised… based on his showings over the summer, that is.