Although Max Strus’s tenure with the Miami Heat may be coming to an end, the bonds he formed there will always be there.
On Monday, the sharpshooter for the Cleveland Cavaliers posted a story on Instagram expressing his affection for two of his old teammates from the Heat, Caleb Martin and Gabe Vincent.
During the 2023–24 campaign, Strus traded jerseys with both players, and it appears that they are currently on exhibit in his Cleveland residence.
Vincent’s jersey is from the Los Angeles Lakers, where he played last season and will still be a member of the organization through the 2024–2025 campaign. Martin’s jersey is from the Miami Heat, where he played last season before departing this offseason to play for the Philadelphia 76ers.
As recently as the 2022–23 season, all three players were teammates on the Heat; however, they are currently players for other teams.
Originally undrafted players Strus, Martin, and Vincent helped the Heat make it to the NBA Finals in 2023. Although having a limited role at that point in his career, Vincent was also a member of the 2020 NBA Finals team.
All three of the players are on teams that aim to contend in the upcoming season and beyond, even if they are no longer with the Heat. While Martin’s 76ers and Strus’ Cavs hope to be major players in the Eastern Conference, Vincent’s Lakers hope to make some noise in the Western Conference.
But even if it meant ruining some of their former players’ dreams of winning a championship, the Heat would prefer to finish as the only NBA team standing this upcoming season. Miami has had a quiet offseason, but if the team performs above expectations—as it has so often in the past—it might still pose a challenge in the Eastern Conference.
It’s encouraging to see that there is still a sense of brotherhood among Heat fans, even though it may be difficult for them to understand that Strus, Martin, and Vincent have all moved on.
The Heat should be commended for having aided in their professional development, and they won’t be the only players to gain from playing in Miami’s system.
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