Maxi Kleber's unexpected injury puts major dent in Mavs' rumored trade plans

Dallas Mavericks big man Maxi Kleber hasn't been able to catch a break over the last few years, and things unfortunately keep getting worse for him.

Ever since signing a three-year contract extension following the 2022 NBA Playoffs, Kleber has never been the same. He has suffered several serious injuries over the last few years including a torn hamstring and a full dislocation of the AC joint in his shoulder, and the plethora of injuries have continued into this season.

Kleber strained his hamstring earlier in the season (the same one that he tore in the middle of the 2022-23 season), and now another injury has hit the German forward.

Maxi Kleber's rib injury will make it harder to trade him

According to the Mavericks' most recent injury report, Kleber now has a fractured rib to go on top of the illness that he was already dealing with. This is not great news considering that injuries have been Kleber's kryptonite over the last few years, and this is even worse news considering that that the Mavs are reportedly trying to move him right now.

Kleber's name emerged in trade rumors for the first time this season earlier this month, and him having another injury is just going to make it harder for Dallas to move him if they decide to do so. He is already 32 years old, and the injuries piling up are not a great sign for his future.

Not to mention that he hasn't been playing great when he's been on the floor as he is averaging just 1.7 points per game while shooting 22.2 percent from downtown, and his offensive game that used to be so useful for the Mavs has almost disappeared. He used to be a reliable 3-point shooter off the catch who could stretch the floor, but now he doesn't play with much confidence.

His defense still remains stout as he can guard multiple positions, and he remains valuable to how Dallas plays, but he has to become a little bit more of a threat on offense to be a reliable piece in the rotation.

Regardless of his offensive decline, his injuries haven't been something that he hasn't been able to control. These injuries have likely directly correlated to this decline.

If the Mavs do indeed try to move him before the trade deadline, they likely will have to attach some young talent or draft capital as a sweetener considering that he is set to make $11 million annually over the last two years of his contract (this season and next season).

Kleber having another injury is only going to hurt his trade value and career trajectory even more, and time will tell if Dallas decides to move him or roll with him for the rest of the year.