Max Strus says losing Okoro, Jerome ‘sucks’ after success of last season

The Cleveland Cavaliers appear to be as well-positioned as any squad in the Eastern Conference to compete for the 2026 NBA title, but the team still lost multiple key contributors from last season this summer.

First off, Cleveland dealt guard and former top-five pick Isaac Okoro to the Chicago Bulls earlier this offseason in a deal that netted the Cavaliers floor general Lonzo Ball. Ball stands out as someone who could fill in for guard Darius Garland (toe surgery) in the starting lineup to begin the coming campaign with his flair for playmaking.

Moreover, guard Ty Jerome, who averaged 12.5 points and 3.4 assists per game in primarily a bench role with Cleveland a season ago, signed a three-year deal with the Memphis Grizzlies in free agency.

Cavaliers forward Max Strus said it’s unfortunate that Okoro and Jerome are no longer with Cleveland after all the success the team enjoyed.

“Obviously, you never want to see people go,” Strus said. “We love Isaac. We love Ty. Losing guys always sucks, especially after the success we had and the team that we had. But gotta be excited, and that’s the nature of the business. It’s gonna be a new team, and new guys are gonna come in. So, it’s up to us welcome them, and they’ve been great so far. So, we couldn’t be more excited to have those guys and look forward to the season and bringing them on board.”

Jerome’s departure sticks out as the toughest pill to swallow for the Cavaliers out of the two players, as he was one of the most improved players in the league last season. Jerome ended up third in the Sixth Man of the Year voting after an ankle injury limited him to just two games played in the 2023-24 campaign.

A step forward from guard Jaylon Tyson in his second NBA season would theoretically help the Cavs make up for the losses of Okoro and Jerome.

Jerome and Okoro used up much of the available minutes at the backup guard spots last season, and their departures open up an opportunity for Tyson to prove he belongs at the highest level.

It should be interesting to find out how losing both Okoro and Jerome will impact the Cavaliers’ pursuit of a championship in the 2025-26 season. Maybe, Cleveland’s second unit will be a well-oiled machine even without them, or perhaps the bench unit will take a major step back compared to the season prior.

Strus and the Cavaliers will play their first game of the 2025-26 campaign when they take on the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 22.