Dallas Mavericks player profile: Maxi Kleber

Maxi Kleber is back for another training camp and, although he has a contract with the Dallas Mavericks, the money is non-guaranteed. If Maxi does make the team, what can we expect from him in the upcoming season?

The Dallas Mavericks signed a player that most people have never heard of last year. Maximillian Kleber, or Maxi for short, was a young player from Wurzburg, Germany, a place the Dallas Mavericks have some familiarity with. When Dallas made the signing, many believed he would never make the roster.

By the end of the season, Maxi had been through quite the experience with Dallas. He started the year with six DNP-CD’s in the first 12 games. After that, he played in 47 consecutive games, starting in 35 of them. During that time, Maxi’s numbers weren’t spectacular during that stretch, but he brought a presence to the game that worked really well next to Dirk in the starting lineup.

That presence lost its luster for Rick Carlisle towards the end of the season and Maxi fell out of the rotation. He may have been in the doghouse for Coach, but for an undrafted, unknown rookie coming into the NBA, Maxi had an impressive season.

This year, things may be a little different. The Mavs have a new look and have a few more big bodies to throw out against other teams. That could make things tough for Maxi, not just finding game time, but possibly making the final roster.

Here are a few of the highs and lows we can expect from Maxi if he does make the roster.

Highs

The best that Maxi offers is hustle. He will never be the best player on the court or the most athletic, but he brings a great energy that is generally 2nd to none. I notice as I’m writing this that I have mentioned hustle or energy a lot as I’ve been writing these posts. That may not be the best thing, but hey, at least Dallas isn’t going to get beat for that reason any time soon.

The other thing that I was impressed with last season from Kleber and hope to see more of this year is his defense. He was a surprisingly good rim protector for Dallas last year, recording at least one block in 39 of his 72 games. He also had two 5-block games. That defensive effort will be exciting this year and could help him earn a spot on the roster.

Lows

The biggest low that has to be mentioned is that there is a reasonable chance that Maxi doesn’t make the final roster. The Mavs have gotten better in a lot of areas this coming season and a player like Maxi is going to be on the fence. I am hoping he earns a spot, but there is definitely no guarantee.

To go along with that, if Maxi makes the roster, playing time is a big concern. I like the way Carlisle used him for a lot of the season last year as a bit of a change in lineup and someone who gets 15-20 minutes to bring a different look. If he can get 40-50 games like that again, he may be a nice player for the team. If not, he could be a wasted roster spot.

I am not sure what to think about the roster situation just yet, but Maxi Kleber has a shot at the team and if he makes it, chances are that Carlisle will try to find him some minutes here and there.