While new coach Kenny Atkinson also considered Caris LeVert and Isaac Okoro, the decision was officially made to use the 6-foot-2 Wade ahead of Monday’s practice.

Wade was in Strus’ usual spot for the preseason finale and has been with the starters since Saturday – the first practice in preparation for the Toronto Raptors. Those extra reps have given Atkinson an idea of ​​what it could look like with Wade flanking Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.

“It starts with his defense,” Atkinson said when asked Monday about the possibility of Wade starting. “You’ve got Dean, Jarrett and Evan, you’re playing good defense from the start, so that’s the most important thing. Then he is offensively versatile. Obviously he can shoot the three, but we use him a little more as a cutter. He reads the game very well and is very smart. He is a good connector for that group.”

Earlier this week, Atkinson stopped short of naming Wade the starter. Atkinson even hinted that this could vary based on the matchup and other lineup-related circumstances.

“We have great depth,” Atkinson explained. “A lot of teams could be affected by this, but we have some guys who can step in and help us until Max comes back.

“Everyone, the first thing they think is: what do the starters look like? What do those second rotations look like? What do the third rotations look like? That’s a big part of the decision because we have to have balance. We can’t have the starting lineup really strong and then be two lineups down where we are weak. We have to find that balance: a defensive and an offensive balance.”

Strus is expected to be sidelined for at least six weeks after suffering an ankle sprain during individual training on Thursday. While he was already dealing with a right hip contusion, that on-field session in Chicago was part of his rehabilitation process – an effort to have him at full strength for Wednesday’s opener.