Cleveland Cavaliers forward Isaac Okoro, who has primarily stepped into the starting lineup in the absence of Max Strus, has been ruled out for at least two weeks due to a right shoulder AC joint sprain injury.
Meanwhile, Strus was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice and looks set to make his season debut against the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday. The Cavaliers were just looking forward to seeing how they might fare at full strength.
#Cavs Isaac Okoro has a right shoulder AC joint sprain and will be re-evaluated in approximately two weeks.
— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) December 19, 2024
Okoro Has Been A Solid Role Player
While the numbers may not show it, Okoro’s role has been a trustworthy component in Cleveland marching out to the league’s best record at 23-4 through a third of the season.
He may be averaging just 6.6 points per game, but on a team that boasts the league’s second-best offense and talented guards like Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, the Cavs have most needed Okoro to be a rock defensively.
Okoro has defended the opposing team’s best wing on a nightly basis, and he’s knocked down 30 of his 61 3-point attempts this season. Cleveland has a plus-9.8 net rating in 148 minutes with the starting quintet of Garland-Mitchell-Okoro-Evan Mobley-Jarrett Allen.
There’s been speculation Cleveland may look to upgrade its depth defensively at the wing position, and this injury news may push that needle forward just a bit.
Strus’ Timely Return
While Cleveland may rue still not having a fully healthy rotation, Strus’ likely return just as Okoro is put on the shelf is a big positive.
While not possessing the defensive value of Okoro, Strus should thrive in head coach Kenny Atkinson’s offensive system as someone who offers a solid outside threat as well as some playmaking chops.
In 70 games for the Cavs last season, Strus averaged 12.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists while shooting 35.1 percent from deep on nearly seven 3-point attempts per game.
Dean Wade is the other option Cleveland has turned to at the small forward position.
Friday’s bout against Milwaukee is leg one of a back-to-back for the Cavs before they welcome the Philadelphia 76ers to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Saturday night.
