Lakers should feel sick after Clippers land Max Strus for almost nothing

The LA Clippers have landed 3-and-D wing Max Strus by helping the Cleveland Cavaliers and Denver Nuggets complete a trade that centered around Peyton Watson. Cleveland landed Watson via sign-and-trade, with Denver taking back draft picks. To make the money work, the Cavaliers rerouted Strus to the Clippers. All the Clippers gave up was a 2027 second-round draft pick.

Considering how little the Clippers gave up to acquire Strus, one can't help but feel as though the Los Angeles Lakers missed out on a golden opportunity to improve their rotation at a minimal cost.

The caveat to this discussion is that the Clippers managed to acquire Strus by utilizing a traded player exception to absorb his salary. The Lakers wouldn't have been able to do so, meaning they would've needed to ship out salary in order to take Strus' $16,660,836 salary on.

The Watson trade ultimately amounted to a five-team deal, however, which at least makes one wonder if the Lakers could've found a way to complete the transaction.

The dream scenario would've been shipping out Jarred Vanderbilt and his $12,428,571 salary, although it's fair to question how realistic that goal would've been. Jake LaRavia, Jaden Hardy, and Dalton Knecht's salaries combine for $16,201,080, however, which is just one example of how the Lakers could've begun to make a transaction work.

Regardless of how it would've ultimately looked, there's simply no way around how accessible Strus was as a player the Clippers landed by simply facilitating the trade that sent Watson to Cleveland—nor how valuable he could've been to the Lakers.

Max Strus seemed to be attainable at a low cost via trade

The Lakers have been aggressive in their efforts to recreate the rotation in a manner that suits Luka Doncic and his preferred style of play. Along the wings, they started the summer by drafting Cameron Carr and later signed or traded for the likes of Quentin Grimes, Hardy, Collin Sexton, Matisse Thybulle, and Ziaire Williams.

Each of those additions seemed to reveal the importance that the Lakers are placing on three-point shooting, with Williams at 34.3 percent being the only true question mark.

That would seemingly make Strus, a career 37.0 percent shooter on an expiring contract, a worthwhile target. He's a known catch-and-shoot specialist who could've played off of Doncic and Austin Reaves, and added a new layer of proven production and shooting to the rotation.

Strus is also a proven defender who could've paired well with Grimes as a 6'5" and 215-pound wing who thrives both on and away from the ball.

Offseason foot surgery cost Strus 70 games in 2025-26, but his 2024-25 success reveals how well he could've fit in Los Angeles. According to Basketball Index, he ranked in the 82nd percentile in perimeter isolation defense and the 71st percentile in off-ball chaser defense. He also shot 38.6 percent from beyond the arc.

Unfortunately, the Lakers missed out on a chance to add a 3-and-D wing who has an expiring contract and postseason experience. One can't help but wonder if they should've done more.

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