Former Mavericks fan-favorite has completely fallen out of the Lakers' playoff plans

Los Angeles Lakers forward and former Dallas Maverick Maxi Kleber touched the court for the first time in this year's NBA Playoffs in their most recent game against the Houston Rockets over the weekend. He played in the final seven garbage-time minutes of the Lakers' Game 4 loss to Houston, as the game was already out of hand and Los Angeles was trying to get out of the game unscathed.

Maxi Kleber has turned into a ghost in Los Angeles

This was the first time that he played since April 12, and his regression for the Lakers has been obvious this season. He has gone from a reliable floor spacer and shot blocker to a non-factor in just a few years, as the playoffs used to be where he thrived.

JJ Redick doesn't even trust him to bring positive minutes for him during the playoffs, and the Mavericks moved on at the right time.

Dallas traded Kleber to the Lakers as part of the Luka Doncic trade in February of 2025, and since arriving in Los Angeles, he has been a shell of himself. He averaged a career-low 2.0 points and 2.0 rebounds per game while shooting an abysmal 23.1 percent from downtown in 43 games this season, and the signs that his career was going downhill that he was showing as a Maverick have only gotten worse as a Laker.

From playoff staple to buried on the Lakers' bench

During many of the Mavericks' playoff runs, Kleber solidified himself as a two-way stretch five who can guard multiple positions, knock down open shots, and bring versatility. He was a staple for Dallas during the postseason in 2022 and 2024, and the numbers back this up as well. Kleber averaged 6.6 points and 3.5 rebounds per game while shooting 48.3 percent from the field and 43.4 percent from three in 31 playoff games, showing how valuable he can be when he's on the court.

He was one of the most consistent shooters on the team who never shied away from the moment, but as Mavericks fans know, his injuries became too problematic to ignore. Kleber only played a combined 114 games from 2023 to 2025. This averages out to just 38 games per season — not good for a player that Dallas once relied heavily upon.

The Lakers have dealt with this same problem over the last season and a half, and even with him being healthy now, he can't get real rotation minutes. Kleber's career could be coming to a close before we know it due to his inability to remain healthy, and with how poorly he played this season, his injuries have to be affecting his play as well.

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