Maxi

Kleber

Kleber has been sidelined since before he was traded to the Lakers as part of the Luka Doncic deal, and this will be the first time he is available to suit up for Los Angeles. In a win-or-go-home game for them, it’s unclear how much head coach JJ Redick will lean on a new player that hasn’t played in three months.

At long last, Kleber may be able to make his Lakers debut after being sent to Los Angeles as part of the Luka Doncic trade. The veteran forward/center underwent surgery on his right foot days before being traded, having last appeared in a game on January 25. Kleber can potentially add frontcourt depth, but Lakers coach JJ Redick stuck with the same five (Doncic/Reaves/Hachimura/James/Finney-Smith) for the entire second half of Sunday’s Game 4 loss.

Kleber, who had surgery to repair a right foot fracture days before being traded to the Lakers, is inching closer to making his debut for Los Angeles. He was a footnote in the Luka Doncic/Anthony Davis swap, but he could end up being an important depth piece for the Lakers in the postseason. It’s unclear how much longer he’ll be sidelined, but if he does return before the playoffs, it will likely be in a limited role.

Kleber won’t be making his Lakers debut for a while, as he’s still recovering from the broken right foot he suffered with the Mavericks. He underwent surgery on it in late January, and he won’t be re-evaluated until early April. There is a good chance that Kleber won’t be able to suit up before the postseason, which means that his fantasy season is likely over.

Kleber, who has been out with a foot injury, is headed west as part of a three-team trade headlined by Anthony Davis and Luka Doncic. The Lakers received Kleber, Doncic, and Markieff Morris from Dallas, sending Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first to Dallas. Utah joined the deal to help make the financials work, acquiring Jalen Hood-Schifino and two 2025 second-round picks (one from Dallas and one via the Clippers). Kleber didn’t offer much fantasy value in Dallas when healthy, and that’s unlikely to change with the Lakers.

Kleber suffered a broken right foot during the Mavericks’ January 25 loss to the Celtics. The veteran big has since undergone a surgical procedure to repair the fracture and does not have a timeline for return. The Mavericks recently signed Kylor Kelley to a two-way contract, as Dereck Lively II and Dwight Powell are also injured. Kelley doesn’t have streaming value behind Daniel Gafford, who will continue to play heavy minutes. With the trade deadline one week away, we’ll see if Dallas looks to make a move to strengthen its frontcourt rotation.

Kleber fractured his right foot during Saturday’s game against Boston, and while there isn’t a clear timeline for his return yet, it will be a lengthy absence. With Dereck Lively II (foot) already out for a few months, Dallas will be thin at center. Daniel Gafford should see most of the minutes, but they may have to rely on some smaller lineups that could feature PJ Washington at center if they don’t find a solution at the trade deadline. The team announced that he will be re-evaluated this week, which should provide a better timeline for his absence.

Kleber had just one point and was 0-of-6 from the field in 11 minutes against the Celtics Saturday. He suffered what the team called a right ankle injury and was subsequently ruled out. It’s unclear how much more time, if any, Kleber is set to miss, but his health is somewhat important to the Mavericks with Dereck Lively II on the shelf for months.

It’s a huge blow for a Mavs team that has dealt with a plethora of key injuries throughout the season. In Lively II’s absence, expect Daniel Gafford and Maxi Kleber to see expanded minutes. Gafford becomes a must-roster player with news of Lively II’s injury.

This will be a second straight absence for Powell, and Maxi Kleber continued to fill out the backup center minutes in their last game. However, Dereck Lively II is questionable, and Powell’s status doesn’t impact their rotation when Lively is available.