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After going undrafted by the NBA out of DePaul in 2019, Miami Heat wing Max Strus struggled to find a home. He was signed immediately after the draft by the Celtics, but the team let him go at the end of training camp. He signed with his hometown Chicago Bulls after that, but a torn ACL ruined his chances of making an impact there.
A year later, he latched on with the Heat, began getting some late-season playing time and earned a rotation spot for the 2021-22 season. Strus thrived last year, averaging 10.6 points and shooting 41.0% from the 3-point line. He was the starter at shooting guard for Miami in all 18 of its playoff games but, having never experienced the workload that came with a full NBA season plus playoffs, Strus wore down as the spring progressed.
He took some action, though. Strus said he came into the season in top condition and had a corrective procedure—an implant called EVO—done on his eyes, eliminating the need for the glasses and contacts he’d been wearing since fifth grade.
Strus sat down to talk with Heavy Sports about his need to improve his conditioning, the team he thought he’d be playing for and how he has fit in so well with the Miami Heat.
Strus Talks Summer Eye Surgery & Conditioning
HS: You had a big summer, a lot of conditioning work and you had eye surgery as well. What was the goal in the offseason for you?
MS: Going into the offseason my biggest thought was to get my body right in any way possible. I think a lot of us kind of broke down at the end of last year during the playoffs there and were kind of just limping our way through the playoffs. That was kind of eye-opening for me and my first playoff experience—I’ve got to maintain my body for 82 games and more. That was really my biggest thing this summer.
With that, I got this new eye procedure, called EVO, done. I got that about two-and-a-half months ago and I haven’t looked back since. It’s been an unbelievable experience, it really corrected my vision. … Obviously, you get nervous going into a procedure like that. But it’s been great, it went by quick. I was able to see 20-10 the next day. It was more than perfect.
HS: You mentioned the workload, you had never played that much basketball before, had you?
MS: No. It was definitely an adjustment, playing heavy minutes like that, especially in the playoffs, is different. The playoffs are very physical and beat up on you. It was definitely a grind, something that was an eye-opening experience and something I will be ready for now in the future.
HS: Back at the beginning of your career, did you think you would be playing for the Celtics? It was heading that way in 2019 and then everyone fell in love with Tacko Fall, and he essentially took your two-way spot.
MS: I did. Obviously, I got a two-way (with Boston) on draft night so I thought they thought very highly of me. I had a good camp and Danny Ainge and Brad Stevens said it was one of the hardest decisions they had to make but at the end of the day it is a business and I understand that. I was lucky enough to go home and play for my hometown team (the Bulls). That didn’t go as I wanted it to, the knee (injury, in December 2019) happened. But everything happens for a reason and I am here in Miami. It is crazy how things work because this is the best possible place for me, and I have fit in extremely well here.
Coach Stevens gives some insight on the Celtics 2-way guard Max Strus (presented by t.co/Av8GdCAzPA)
Strus Has Landed in a ‘Perfect’ Situation in Miami
HS: You are part of a tradition in Miami, where they are able to find players who were overlooked by other teams and identify what they do well and get them to be good NBA players. Was that your experience in Miami?
MS: Spo is one of the best coaches in the NBA. The best thing about him is he gives guys chances. He gives you an opportunity to play—he is willing to play anybody at any given time. Throughout the player development process, they really put in the time and effort to work with you and get to know you and make you the best possible basketball player you can be. And then, with that, they put you in games and trust you. If you put in the work and put in the time, they trust that you are ready to produce in an NBA game whenever they want to use you.
HS: And it is almost like, it does not matter what your contract situation is or where you were drafted, they will play the best guys they’ve got.
MS: They want to have the best team on the floor at all times. They’re willing to play anybody no matter what their contract situation is, no matter the person is drafted or undrafted. They take pride in finding the undrafted guy that can help teams win. It was a perfect situation for me.
HS: When you were struggling to get back into the league, had you considered playing in Europe, was that an option for you?
MS: I am not opposed to playing over there. I wanted to try to play here and be in the NBA, that was always my goal. After tearing my ACL, you never know what kind of opportunity you’re going to get but luckily the Heat took a chance on me and kind of gave me that opportunity, and I took advantage of it. That is the name of the game in the NBA, opportunities and being able to take advantage of it and really capitalize on them.
HS: You were a starter last year. Might not be the case this year. Do you have a sense of your role and how it might change?
MS: Everybody is still working on that. I think we’ll figure it out. We’re a close-knit team. We all know each other, we all know how each other plays. I am not worried about coming off the bench or starting, I am just looking to impact winning in any way possible. Given my role, whatever that may be, I am just trying to do that in any way possible, produce and do what I am asked.
HS: When people talk about contenders in the East, it is Boston, it is Milwaukee, maybe Philadelphia. The Heat are not usually in that first group. But you were a Jimmy Butler 3-pointer away from being in the Finals. Are people sleeping on the Heat?
MS: Yeah, we’re used to it, though. It happens every single year. We’re always a team that is counted out. It is probably because we don’t have the sexy superstars that will go out and get fans and that voters like. But we do things a certain way here, and we all take pride in that. We love that people count us out. We’re ready to prove people wrong every single night.
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