NBA: Clippers’ Max Strus to miss start of season with torn plantar fascia

The injury-plagued Los Angeles Clippers sustained another blow on Sunday in their preseason opener.

Max Strus sustained a partial tear of his right plantar fascia as the Clippers beat the Golden State Warriors 104-101 in Honolulu, and he will be out for at least four weeks, the team announced Monday.

Los Angeles opens the regular season Oct. 21 against the visiting Sacramento Kings. Four weeks from Monday, the team will be playing its seventh regular-season contest.

Strus, 30, joined the Clippers from the Cleveland Cavaliers in August as part of a five-team trade.

The Clippers are also without Brandon Ingram (Achilles), Bradley Beal (knee), Jordan Miller (shoulder), Yanic Konan Niederhauser (foot) and Kobe Sanders (hip).

Strus got hurt Sunday less than five minutes into the game, when he caught a pass and came up limping despite not making contact with another player. The Clippers called timeout, and he exited the game after missing his only shot and grabbing one rebound.

The injury extends an unfortunate pattern for Strus, who won't be available on opening night for the third season in a row. In 2024-25, he sat out the Cavaliers' first 27 games due to a right ankle sprain. He didn't make his debut in 2025-26 until March 15, missing Cleveland's first 67 games as he recovered from left foot surgery.

In 12 games (five starts) for the Cavaliers last season, Strus averaged 11.2 points, a career-best 5.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists.

Across 321 games (161 starts) for the Chicago Bulls (2019-20), Miami Heat (2020-23) and Cleveland (2023-26), Strus owns averages of 10.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists.

-Field Level Media/Reuters