Lakers' Maxi Kleber: Gets five minutes in closeout game
Rotowire
Kleber (foot) recorded two points (0-1 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 2-2 FT) across five minutes Wednesday in the Lakers' 103-96 loss to the Timberwolves in Game 5 of the first-round playoff series.
After completing his recovery from right foot surgery he underwent in late January, Kleber was cleared to make his Lakers debut in an elimination game. He ended up supplanting Jaxson Hayes in the rotation but still held a minimal role while the Lakers continued to favor small-ball lineups primarily featuring Dorian Finney-Smith at center. The 33-year-old will head into the offseason healthy and could make a case for a larger role off the Los Angeles bench in 2025-26, when he'll be entering the final season of the three-year, $33 million contract extension he signed with Dallas in September 2022.
Kleber (foot) has been cleared to play in Wednesday's game against the Timberwolves, Ryan Ward of LakersNation.com reports.
Kleber will make his debut for the Lakers on Wednesday after missing the last 43 games while recovering from surgery on his right foot. It remains to be seen whether Kleber will play a significant role in this pivotal Game 5, as it could potentially be the last game of the season for Los Angeles, with JJ Redick's squad facing elimination down 3-1. Before being moved ahead of the NBA trade deadline in the Luka Doncic trade, Kleber played in 34 games for the Mavericks, averaging 3.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game while shooting 38.5 percent from the floor and 26.5 percent from beyond the arc.
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Lakers' Maxi Kleber: Questionable for Game 5
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Kleber (foot) is questionable for Wednesday's Game 5 against the Timberwolves, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.com reports.
Kleber has yet to suit up for the Lakers after undergoing surgery on his right foot Jan. 30, though he could make his debut in Wednesday's win-or-go-home matchup. Jaxson Hayes has started all four outings during the first round but is averaging only 7.5 minutes per game, meaning Kleber could take on some responsibility at center if he's cleared to play,
Kleber (foot) is out for Game 4 against the Timberwolves on Sunday.
The big man has yet to feature in the playoffs, and it's uncertain if he'll be able to suit up at any point during the postseason. Even if he ends up being available, he should operate as a backup in the frontcourt behind Jaxson Hayes. His next chance to play will come in Game 5 on Wednesday.
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Lakers' Maxi Kleber: Remains out for Game 3
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Kleber (foot) has been ruled out for Friday's game against the Timberwolves.
Kleber continues to work his way back from surgery on his right foot, which means he'll be sidelined once again Friday. There remains no timeline for his return to the floor to make his debut with the Lakers, as he could very well not play another game until the start of next season.
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Lakers' Maxi Kleber: Remaining out for Game 2
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Kleber (foot) has been ruled out for Tuesday's Game 2 against the Timberwolves, Ryan Ward of LakersNation.com reports.
Kleber has been sidelined since Jan. 25 while recovering from surgery on his right foot, which he underwent Jan. 30. The big man has been cleared to participate in practices, though there's still no timetable for his return to game action. Kleber's next chance to play in the Western Conference quarterfinals against the Timberwolves will come Friday.
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Lakers' Maxi Kleber: Won't play in series opener
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Kleber (foot) is out for Game 1 against the Timberwolves on Saturday.
Kleber hasn't played since Jan. 25 while recovering from surgery on his right foot, which he underwent Jan. 30. While he has been taking part in practices recently, he doesn't have a timetable to return to action. His next chance to suit up will come in Game 2 of the series on Tuesday.
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Lakers' Maxi Kleber: Active during Tuesday's practice
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Kleber (foot) participated in Tuesday's practice, though there's still no clear timetable for his return to game action, Daniel Starkand of LakersNation.com reports.
Kleber hasn't played since Jan. 25 while recovering from surgery on his right foot, which he underwent on Jan. 30. The big man has been doing more on-court work recently, but there's still no official timetable for his return ahead of Saturday's Game 1 against the Timberwolves. It's unclear whether Kleber will play a role in the Lakers' rotation whenever he returns, as he has yet to suit up for Los Angeles since the club acquired him in a trade with the Mavericks.
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Lakers' Maxi Kleber: Remains out Sunday
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Kleber (foot) is out for Sunday's game against the Trail Blazers, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com reports.
Kleber hasn't played for the Lakers since Jan. 25, and he won't be available for the final game of the regular season, either. It's unclear if he'll have a role in the rotation once the playoffs start April 19, but that scenario seems unlikely. He'd operate as one of the backup options at center behind Jaxson Hayes (hand) in a best-case scenario.
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Lakers' Maxi Kleber: Ruled out for Friday
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Kleber (foot) has been ruled out for Friday's game against the Rockets, Daniel Starkand of LakersNation.com reports.
Kleber has yet to suit up for the Lakers while recovering from surgery on his right foot that he underwent on Jan. 30. However, the Lakers announced Thursday that the big man has returned to on-court activities, per Ryan Ward of LakersNation.com, which is a positive sign ahead of the playoffs. Kleber's last chance to suit up during the regular season will come Sunday against Portland.
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Lakers' Maxi Kleber: Progresses to on-court work
Rotowire
The Lakers announced Thursday that Kleber has progressed to on-court activities, Ryan Ward of LakersNation.com reports.
Kleber underwent right foot surgery on Jan. 30, and he was given an uncertain timetable for his return to the floor. The Lakers newcomer appears to be getting closer to being cleared to play, but it remains unclear if he'll make his debut with Los Angeles this season.
The Mavericks announced Tuesday that Kleber will have his surgically repaired right foot re-evaluated in eight weeks, Jovan Buha of The Athletic reports.
Kleber recently went down with a right foot fracture while with the Mavericks, which resulted in needing surgery. There seems to be a decent chance that the veteran big man could miss the rest of the season, but the Lakers might hope he can return for the playoffs.
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