With his performance in Game 1 against the Toronto Raptors, it's pretty safe to say that the Miami Heat could've used Max Strus in their Play-In Tournament loss a few days ago.
Strus finished 24 points and three rebounds on 4-6 shooting from 3-point range as the Cleveland Cavaliers took a 1-0 series lead in their first-round playoff series against the Raptors. Even years later, it's not an exaggeration to suggest that the Heat are still regretting the decision to move on from Strus.
Sure, there were some financial implications that prevented them from matching the Cavs' offer for Strus, but perhaps the Heat should've fought harder to find a path to keeping the sharpshooting wing.
The Heat miss Max Strus' big-game ability
After the Heat's unlikely run to the NBA Finals in 2023, there were some difficult decisions that needed to be made. One of them included deciding whether to pay Strus or not. Ultimately, the Heat chose against it.
They officially moved him in a sign-and-trade deal to the Cavs. As a side note, it was during that same offseason that the Heat lost Gabe Vincent to the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency. That just highlights that the Heat's financial crunch was indeed true.
While Strus has had his struggles with injuries each of the last two seasons with the Cavs, it's his big-game ability that the Heat may miss most. There are a few players who have the ability to step up big when it matters most. Strus happens to be one of them.
And that's exactly what he managed to do for the Cavs in Game 1 against the Raptors.
The Heat win their Play-In Tournament game with Max Strus
Especially in their Play-In Tournament struggles, there's no question Strus would've been a welcome addition to the Heat. With as many offensive struggles (especially shooting the basketball) the Heat experienced this season, Strus would've been a huge weapon for the team if he were still on the roster.
In the end, though, the Heat has to live with its decisions. And, at least at the time, the Heat believed that they could manage without Strus (especially considering the price point).
I wouldn't say that the Heat have completely been proven wrong, but there's no question that they could've used Strus' veteran presence on the wing this past season.
Even years later, even though the front office may never admit it, the argument can be made that the Heat still miss Strus and that their decision to trade him a few offseasons ago continues to haunt the franchise.
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