Relief has finally arrived for the injury-plagued Los Angeles Lakers.
After missing the first nine games of the season, center Maxi Kleber has been cleared to make his season debut.
Kleber will come off the bench in Saturday’s road game against the Atlanta Hawks, the start of their five-game road trip, providing a timely reinforcement for a Lakers squad that has battled through early-season injuries to several key players.
“I’m gonna be ready,” Kleber told reporters following Saturday morning’s shootaround. “Just be prepared and be back out with the guys, get back in rhythm and routine.”
Kleber’s Long Road Back from Multiple Injuries
Kleber, 33, has endured a brutal stretch of injuries over the past year. The 6-foot-10 German forward-center missed nearly the entire preseason and the first nine regular-season games due to an abdominal muscle strain he suffered during a drive to the basket in a preseason practice.
“Very unfortunate, unlucky,” Kleber admitted. “But we tried our best to maintain conditioning and everything else. Try to come back as fast as possible.”
The setback followed what the Lakers initially described as a minor quadriceps injury suffered during the first practice of training camp on September 30. That came after he spent the offseason rehabbing from a fractured right foot, an injury that cost him the final three months of last season with the Dallas Mavericks before being traded to the Lakers in the February deal for Luka Dončić.
Kleber only appeared in one preseason game — the finale against the Sacramento Kings on Oct. 17 — posting three points and three rebounds in 10 minutes.
Fighting Conditioning Issues and Injury Misfortune
The veteran forward admitted that his conditioning still isn’t where it needs to be after so much missed time.
“It’s tough, man,” Kleber told reporters. “You sometimes don’t always get rewarded. I feel like I did put in the work, especially when it comes to the physical stuff, to stay healthy. But it is what it is. You just gotta make the best out of it, continue to build on that, and try to stay consistently out there.”
Inspired by Dončić’s offseason transformation, Kleber slimmed down during the summer to improve mobility and endurance. However, his body continued to betray him. Now, fully cleared, the Lakers are optimistic he can stabilize their frontcourt rotation.
Kleber’s Role Behind Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes
Kleber is expected to come off the bench as part of a frontcourt trio with Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes, providing floor spacing and interior defense.
Getty Deandre Ayton reacts after a basket by Nick Smith Jr. of the Los Angeles Lakers against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Ayton, who joined the Lakers in the offseason, has been a revelation. The former No. 1 overall pick is averaging 17.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 65.7% from the field — exceeding expectations at just $8.1 million this season.
Ayton has anchored the paint defensively and developed chemistry with guards Austin Reaves and Dončić as a pick-and-roll threat. He credits head coach JJ Redick for establishing a strong culture early.
“I think it all started in training camp,” Ayton said. “JJ not giving a crap who’s out there — he wants to play Laker basketball. JJ’s been in this game for a while, he’s won in this game for a while. So anything he says, we trust it. It’s about professionalism.”
Lakers Surging Despite Early Injuries
Ayton’s recent dominance — including back-to-back 20-point, 10-rebound games against the Portland Trail Blazers and a strong outing against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs — has powered the Lakers to a five-game winning streak.
The streak has been even more impressive given the absences of LeBron James, Dončić, and Reaves, who have each missed time with minor injuries.
Now, with Kleber returning to bolster depth and defense, and the Lakers’ stars nearing full health, Los Angeles looks to cement their spot at the top of the Western Conference standings.
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