Max Strus’ debut for the Clippers lasted only five minutes. The 30-year-old went down during Los Angeles’ preseason game against the Golden State Warriors in Honolulu. There was no collision. No defender made contact with him. The injury came from a simple cut across the floor.
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The veteran wing had come off a screen with Stephen Curry chasing him. Darius Garland found him with a pass. Max Strus caught it and tried to pull up. He immediately favored his right foot. He began hopping on his left leg as Tyronn Lue called a timeout.
Garland appeared frustrated by what had happened and bounced the ball off his head as he looked toward Strus, who limped off the floor and headed straight to the locker room. Reports confirmed that the new Clippers star suffered a partial tear of the plantar fascia in his right foot and will be re-evaluated in 4 weeks.
It’s not the first time that the former Cavs star has suffered an injury, which will put him on the sideline for the season opener.
“This will mark the 3rd consecutive season that Max Strus will miss the beginning of due to a foot injury,” Tomer Azarly reported on X. ” In 2024, he missed multiple weeks due to a right ankle sprain. In 2025, he missed most of the season with the Jones fracture in his left foot. Now in 2026, he is expected to miss multiple weeks with the partial plantar fascia tear.”
The pattern of recurring lower extremity injuries highlights durability concerns for the guard as he begins a new NBA campaign with the Clippers. The timing is rough for both the player and the franchise.
Max Strus joined Los Angeles after spending the previous three seasons with Cleveland. The Cavaliers moved on from him after a difficult 2025-26 campaign. A foot injury limited him to just 12 regular-season games. Even in that shortened season, the 30-year-old remained productive when available.
He averaged 11.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.0 assists. He shot 44.3% from the field and 40.2% from three. Cleveland still found a way to get him back for its postseason run. Max Strus played all 18 games during the Cavaliers’ Eastern Conference Finals run.
His numbers dipped, but he remained part of the rotation. He averaged 9.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 40.6% overall and 35.8% from three. Los Angeles hoped for more of that veteran presence.
Instead, the 30-year-old is now dealing with another foot issue. That is a major concern for a Clippers team already dealing with a crowded injury report.
Brandon Ingram has not made his Clippers debut either. Doctors discovered a partially torn Achilles tendon while treating his right heel injury. They repaired it during surgery. Reports indicate that Ingram has no timetable for his return. The forward will miss the start of the regular season.
Interim president Trent Redden did offer some perspective. He said recovery from a partial Achilles tear should be about six months shorter than for a complete tear. Ingram had already missed Toronto’s final two playoff games because of the heel problem. They will have to wait for him. The same goes for several other players, excluding Max Strus and Ingram.
Jordan Miller is recovering from surgery on a torn left rotator cuff. He suffered the injury during an offseason workout. His procedure took place around August 26. He is expected to be reevaluated after roughly six months. That puts his next major checkpoint around late February. Bradley Beal is in a different situation.
He is recovering from left hip surgery after a fracture limited him to six games last season. He then developed inflammation in his right knee. The issue delayed his training camp work. There is some optimism, though.
Beal has progressed to running, jumping and dunking without pain. He has also expressed confidence in his recovery. A preseason return remains possible, with an early-season comeback also realistic. Yanic Konan Niederhauser remains out as well.
The young big man suffered a Lisfranc injury in his right foot in March. The injury ended his season and required surgery. He later had a follow-up procedure to remove the surgical hardware.
Niederhauser has started progressing toward on-court work. Still, he will not be ready for opening night. Early November is one possible target, although his recovery could take longer.
That leaves the Clippers with five players dealing with significant health issues before the regular season even begins.