Everyone remembers where they were for the gargantuan megadeal that was the Luka Doncic trade. However, certain aspects of it easily get lost in the shuffle of all the excitement surrounding the acquisition of the Slovenian superstar.
Doncic was the centerpiece of the blockbuster that shocked the NBA world. The addition of the 26-year-old superstar was so important that one would be forgiven for forgetting that the Los Angeles Lakers actually acquired multiple players in the trade.
In all fairness, when stacking up Markieff Morris and Maxi Kleber next to Doncic, it is more than understandable why the latter would get the primary spotlight in Hollywood. While Morris has not made much of an impact since joining Los Angeles, that may not be the case for Kleber.
Optimism surfacing regarding a potential Kleber injury return
The former Dallas Mavericks big man last appeared in a contest against the Boston Celtics on January 25th. It was on that date that Kleber suffered a broken right foot, which has forced him to miss every potential matchup he could have been a part of since. The German big was forced to have surgery to in efforts to mend the injury.
The Athletic's Jovan Buha provided an update in early February that said Kleber would be re-evaluated in eight weeks, determining if there was any chance of him playing in the 2024-25 NBA season. The Lakers reporter recently provided another crucial development that had some extremely positive news.
On an episode of Buha's Block, the Lakers insider said, "I’ve heard that there is some optimism that a return before the end of the regular season is possible."
While Buha's injury update does not offer a concrete yes or no answer as to whether Kleber will suit up for the Lakers this season, there can be comfort found in the fact that it is clearly not being ruled out. The 'optimism' surrounding the situation suggests that the eight-year pro has an opportunity to make a positive impact on the 2024-25 season for Los Angeles.
Kleber's offensive production dipped this season for the Mavericks. In 34 appearances, the big man could only muster up 3.0 points per game on shooting splits of 39-27-76. However, Kleber has previously shown himself to be a capable stretch big option offensively, playing alongside Doncic.
The 33-year-old has displayed strong defensive ability in the past. That is something that could make him an asset to a rejuvenated unit on that end of the basketball court for JJ Redick's team.
One should not expect too much out of Kleber, if he does manage to escape the injury report in time to carve out a role for himself. However, there could be situational moments that allow Redick to turn to him and get some positive minutes from having Kleber in the mix.
