Mavericks fans are already laughing as Lakers fall for Maxi Kleber hype

The Dallas Mavericks' blockbuster trade with the Los Angeles Lakers that sent Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers happened nearly six and a half months ago, and we're reaching the point of the offseason where anything and everything that an NBA player posts on social media turns into news. Most of the free agency signings have already happened, and at this point, fans are looking for anything to talk about to hold them over until training camp begins.

One of the most recent posts to go viral within the NBA world was Kleber throwing down a windmill dunk off a bounced self-lob off the backboard after a workout, and while the dunk was impressive, Lakers fans have taken it and run with it. This video does prove that Kleber is much healthier than he ever was last season, but Lakers fans may quickly realize that he isn't the player that they think he is entering the 2025-26 season.

Kleber only played one game as a Laker after getting traded there, which was Game 5 of Los Angeles' first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, where they ultimately got sent home, and if his notorious injury trend continues, he won't be spending much time on the floor for the Lakers next season.

Maxi Kleber's viral dunk won't erase his biggest problem

Over the last three seasons, Kleber averaged 38 games per season, as injuries constantly derailed what he had going in Dallas. He would oftentimes be playing at a high level for the Mavericks in the middle of the season, but then he would get injured, causing a long process of him recovering, and he'd come back a different player and look out of sorts for multiple weeks.

It seemed like a never-ending cycle for Kleber of playing great off the bench, getting injured, and struggling to get into the groove of things once he returned, and if he had stayed healthy more often, his Mavericks journey would've been even more successful than it already was. There was no other player on the roster who could do what he did, which was knock down open threes as a five and effectively switch on the perimeter, and at times, he was one of the most valuable role players on the team.

In seven and a half years in Dallas, Kleber averaged 6.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 0.9 blocks per game while shooting 44.3 percent from the field and 35.4 percent from downtown. Kleber's versatile defense and 3-point shooting made him a Mavericks staple for years, but his big moments were often overshadowed by injuries toward the end of his journey in Dallas.

Mavericks fans learned not to get their hopes up too much with Kleber, and Lakers fans are about to be forced to do the same.

Even though Kleber looks to be in great shape this offseason, especially after seeing him throw down that impressive windmill slam, it's not enough of a reason to believe that he is approaching a game-changing season in Los Angeles, where he can stay on the floor and actively contribute. He hasn't been healthy for a full season in an extremely long time, and even when he does look healthy during the offseason, it usually doesn't last long into the regular season.