Mavericks' never-before-seen 'hole' is a major threat to derail their season

The Dallas Mavericks' injury problem just went from bad to worse on Saturday afternoon in their game against the Boston Celtics, as Maxi Kleber fractured his foot and could miss significant time. Kleber has already suffered a couple of injuries this season, and the past few years continue to be rough for him in terms of not being able to stay healthy.

The Mavericks were already without Dereck Lively II, Dante Exum, Luka Doncic, Dwight Powell, and Naji Marshall in that game against Boston, and Kleber going down was the worst possible scenario that could have happened for Dallas.

Their center depth was already at an all-time low level considering that Gafford and Kleber were the only two true bigs healthy for this game, and Jason Kidd is facing his biggest challenge yet since becoming the coach of the Mavs when it comes to players not being able to stay healthy.

Mavericks' center rotation is in shambles, and time is running out

Kidd talked about the importance of patience before Saturday's game, and he is going to need to have much more of that over Dallas' upcoming stretch as they'll be forced to continue to deal with these injuries for the next few weeks.

When asked about Kleber's injury after the game, Kidd initially thought that it was an ankle sprain, and also added that these injuries are forcing him to enter unforeseen territory.

"Yeah, it's a hole," Kidd said about the current state of the center rotation. "It's tough...I’ve never seen anything like it and it’s not gonna get any better, so, we’ll see."

Kidd played in the NBA for 19 seasons and has coached for 11 seasons, and him never seeing anything like this over his time in the league shows just how much of an issue Dallas is dealing with. Their center position has truly turned into a major "hole," and even Kidd didn't know what was next for the team.

For now, Dallas helped seal this hole by signing Kylor Kelley, a 7-foot center from the South Bay Lakers. Kelley also spent time with the Los Angeles Lakers during the preseason back in October, and his rim running and rim protection should help hold the Mavs over until Powell, Kleber, or Lively II return.

Dallas plays the Washington Wizards on Monday, and as things stand now, Gafford and Kelley are the only healthy bigs on the team. The Mavericks' center depth used to be one of their biggest strengths, and now it has become their biggest weakness due to all the injuries. Kelley's addition at least gives the Mavericks someone to utilize to give Gafford a breather, and his size, lob-catching ability, and defense in the paint should help him become someone who can play right away.

While P.J. Washington and Olivier-Maxence Prosper can play some small-ball five to help take some of the pressure off Gafford's shoulders, having only two healthy bigs is going to be a major challenge until someone gets healthy. Kelley has had an excellent season in the G League, and his addition to Dallas' roster could be a game-changer depending on how long Dallas' other bigs are injured, but still, this is not going to be an easy time for the Mavs.

The Mavericks only have to survive a few more weeks without Doncic, as he is aiming to return before the All-Star break, and Dallas' win total should rise as the role players get healthy. The time between now and the All-Star break is going to be a pivotal stretch for the Mavericks and a strong showing following the All-Star break once Doncic returns would transform Dallas from a play-in team back into a Western Conference powerhouse.