Could the Nets Jump In if Max Strus Becomes a Salary Dump Candidate?

Nearly two weeks ago, the Brooklyn Nets traded for Haywood Highsmith, relieving the Miami Heat of his salary while receiving a future second-round pick in return. Highsmith had recently undergone surgery on Aug. 8, repairing a meniscal tear in his right knee, which he suffered while training in Baltimore.

Brooklyn already executed one salary dump for a player who likely won't be ready for training camp. Is it possible they pull off a repeat? Well, if the compensation makes sense, then Max Strus may soon be a Net.

Today, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Strus underwent successful surgery to repair a Jones fracture in his left foot that was sustained during a recent offseason workout. He's expected to miss three to four months, which makes him expendable.

The over $31 million owed to Strus over the next two seasons makes him even more expendable, especially at age 29. It seems the Cleveland Cavaliers aren't opposed to moving on if the right deal presents itself, which is where Brooklyn comes into play.

Now, it wouldn't be easy for the Nets to pull this off. They're already dealing with personnel issues—in that they have too much personnel—and need to do some subtracting before they think about any adding.

But if the front office can manage to sift through the roster and trim down to 21 players, and eventually 15 come the regular season, then a deal could make sense. Much would hinge on what Cleveland is willing to give up in an attempt to move Strus—which may not be anything at all.

Despite the injury and age factors, Strus is still a highly impactful role player with a great shooting stroke. It's entirely possible he still has some sort of value around the league, and the Cavaliers may be able to get away with shipping him somewhere without attaching any draft capital.

The issue there is you'd have to make the salaries work. With Brooklyn, there's more room for leniency. But with that leniency comes a price, which likely will be future draft compensation.

Is it guaranteed that Cleveland begins working the phones, trying to find Strus a new home? Not at all. But if the Cavaliers want to move him and move him fast, the Nets would be their best bet.

We'll likely find out more as the regular season approaches, but as things stand here in late August, sending Strus to Brooklyn doesn't appear to be a poor outcome for the Eastern Conference's top seed from a year ago.