Max Strus (foot) off the injury report Monday

Nearly a month after injuring his foot during a preseason game, Strus made his Clippers debut on Monday. Unsurprisingly, he was a bit rusty offensively, but Strus made contributions on both ends of the floor. He played 23 minutes, a number that will increase as any restrictions are lifted. Fantasy managers in 12-team leagues can hold off on adding Strus for now, but he may be worth picking up soon.

Strus, who injured his right foot in an early-October preseason game, is scheduled for re-evaluation in a week. Instead of traveling with the team for road games on Friday and Sunday, he’ll stay in Los Angeles to continue his rehab work. Given the timeline provided at the beginning of the month, Strus’ return to the court may not be far away.

Strus exited his unofficial Clippers debut in the first half after five minutes. On Monday, it was learned that he suffered a partial tear of the plantar fascia in his right foot and will be re-evaluated in four weeks. With Brandon Ingram (heel/Achilles) also out, Strus’ injury pushes rookie Keaton Wagler up draft boards. The rookie logged 30 minutes on Sunday and could take on a significant workload if Bradley Beal also isn’t ready for the regular season.

While the Clippers won their preseason opener on Sunday, beating the Warriors 104-101, Strus’ injury dampened the mood. He played five minutes before leaving the game with a non-contact right foot injury. The plan is to evaluate Strus’ foot when the team returns to Los Angeles, but he could miss an extended period of time. With Brandon Ingram (heel/Achilles) already out, the Clippers don’t need to take another hit to their wing depth.

This is a major blow for the Clippers as they enter the post-Kawhi Leonard era. During his media availability, Ingram said he’s considered week-to-week. With BI on the shelf, Max Strus, Keaton Wagler and Gradey Dick are all candidates to see increased run. The rookie Wagler has the most upside and makes for a fine, late-round selection in fantasy drafts.

Strus will get a fresh start after three seasons in Cleveland. His defense and floor spacing should help make an immediate impact for the Clippers as they look to establish a new identity in the post-Kawhi Leonard era. Strus could start alongside Darius Garland, but his presence in a crowded backcourt will make the rotation difficult to project. Kris Dunn, Bennedict Mathurin (RFA) and Gradey Dick all stand to lose out on minutes with Strus on the squad.

The Cavs’ interest in Watson has been rumored for a while, and they were finally able to get a deal done, and it wasn’t just the trade. With the deal, Watson also agreed to a four-year, $88 million extension to stay in Cleveland for a while. Watson is coming off a breakout season and should fill in as the Cavs’ fifth starter alongside James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Watson’s role will look different than it did last season, but his versatility on both ends should fit in well in Cleveland as they look to compete in the East. Watson’s departure should officially lock in Christian Braun, Cameron Johnson and Aaron Gordon as starters in Denver, though Julian Strawther should step into extra minutes off the bench.

Watson remains a restricted free agent, and the Cavaliers are reportedly exploring ways to create enough salary-cap space to offer him a four-year deal. According to Stein, Cleveland has considered trade scenarios involving guards Dennis Schroder and Max Strus to shed salary. Watson is seeking a deal worth more than $25 million annually, but could also accept his $6.5 million qualifying offer from the Nuggets and become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Whether he remains in Denver or heads elsewhere, Watson has the skill set needed to offer reliable fantasy value. That said, an opportunity to start would raise his ceiling, and that may not be possible in Denver next season.

Strus has not been in the starting lineup for this series, with Dean Wade (two rebounds, one assist and one steal) receiving the first shot at defending New York’s Jalen Brunson. However, it’s fair to question if Cavaliers’ head coach Kenny Atkinson will consider a lineup change going into Monday’s must-win Game 4. Strus, who logged 31 minutes to Wade’s 17, is a greater threat offensively while being able to harass Brunson defensively. The Knicks’ star still scored 30 points in Game 3, but Cleveland not getting any offensive production from Wade was also problematic. Cleveland needs a win on Monday to extend its season and send the series back to New York for a Game 5.

Usually, James Harden (nine points, five rebounds and six assists) shooting 2-of-10 from the field would spell doom for his team. That wasn’t the case on Sunday, with Merrill’s performance among the reasons why. Shooting 5-of-8 from beyond the arc, Merrill was one of four Cavaliers to finish the 125-94 rout with at least 20 points. Max Strus (9/3/2/3 with one three-pointer) was the fifth starter on Sunday, replacing Dean Wade, but there’s room for Merrill to step up as well. Cleveland visits New York on Tuesday in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.