Heat add guard Max Strus to training camp roster

The Miami Heat announced today that they have signed guard/forward Max Strus ahead of Tuesday’s start of training camp.

Strus, 24, played for both the Chicago Bulls and their G League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls, last season before suffering a season-ending ACL tear last December. He appeared in two games with the Bulls, totaling five points and one rebound in 6:14 minutes of action as well as also appearing in 13 games (12 starts) for Windy City before suffering a season-ending injury and averaged 18.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 34.9 minutes while shooting 41.5 percent from the field and 96.3 percent from the foul line.

He played two seasons for DePaul University before going undrafted in 2019 and joining the Boston Celtics for summer league and training camp on a two-way contract before signing a partially-guaranteed two-year deal. As a senior at DePaul in 2018-19, he appeared in 35 games (all starts) and averaged 20.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 37.4 minutes while shooting 42.9 percent from the field, 36.3 percent from three-point range and 84.2 percent from the foul line. Among DePaul’s all-time leaders, he finished third in three-point field goals made (194), fourth in career scoring average (18.6) and fifth in career free throw percentage (.825).

He scored 705 points as a senior, joining Mark Aguirre as the only players in school history to score at least 700 points in a single season. Additionally, Strus recorded eight career 30-point games, joining Aguirre (17), George Mikan (13) and Tom Kleinschmidt (8) as the only players in program history with at least five 30-point games.

According to Rookie Wire, Strus “was lethal on attempts shooting off screens during his two campaigns with DePaul. Strus averaged 4.3 points per game shooting off a screen, per Synergy, which ranked No. 6 overall among all NCAA D1 players last season. With the same qualifications, Strus ranked Top 10 the year prior as a junior.”

A scouting report from the NBA G League notes the following about the sharpshooter:

At 6-foot-6 with a 6-foot-9 wingspan, Strus projects to be a 3&D type of wing for the Celtics organization. From the corners, Strus is a knockdown shooter from 3-point range with a quick release and a very repeatable form. Strus moves well without the ball, finding his most comfortable spots on the floor to attack from. The former DePaul star is a more than adequate rebounder and has an underrated ability to drive and dish the ball when given the opportunity. Defensively, Strus is capable of guarding shooting guards through power forwards, due to his length and athletic versatility, and isn’t afraid to crash the defensive glass with maximum effort. While Strus is an older rookie at 23 years old, his experience and high-usage at DePaul could have him ready to play minutes in the association right away.

His addition brings the current Heat roster to 19.