One of the downfalls of the Los Angeles Lakers last season was their lack of center depth, and although they addressed this issue this offseason, questions remain about how well they will defend the paint this year.
Deandre Ayton was the notable player coming in to start at center for the Lakers. Still, Maxi Kleber, who arrived along with Luka Doncic in the February trade with the Dallas Mavericks, was also expected to play a backup big man role for Los Angeles this year.
However, recent news on Kleber puts an early shadow on the Lakers’ season, and the update comes on the day the team is set to begin its 2025-26 NBA campaign against the Golden State Warriors.
“The Lakers announced Tuesday that Kleber will be re-evaluated in two weeks due to a left oblique strain, Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet reports,” CBS Sports wrote.
Kleber averaged just three points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists last season in only 34 total games, as he was also injured after being sent to Los Angeles in the trade. He is in the last year of a three-year, $33 million extension he signed with the Mavericks.
Kleber’s Preseason Ramp Up, New Injury
Kleber played in only five minutes in one game for the Lakers last season, as, after arriving with Doncic, he was recovering from a foot injury. Following the recovery, the expectation was that the big man would hold a larger role in the paint for Los Angeles this season, but through training camp, that hasn’t been the case.
Before the Lakers began preseason, Kleber once again went down with a quadricep injury, sidelining him for all but one of the team’s exhibition games.
“I was very frustrated,” Kleber said about his quad injury, according to ESPN. “I put in a lot of work to have something happen like that. But you can’t always control everything. All I can do is put in the work and do my best. The same goes for coming back, rehabbing and getting back into game shape.”
Most recently, Kleber was reported to be questionable for the Lakers’ opening night game against the Warriors. However, the latest update from Trudell means the center will miss at least the team’s first eight games.
Lakers Injury Report Continues To Grow
With Kleber out, Jaxson Hayes will likely take his spot as the backup center for Ayton. However, he isn’t the only Lakers player set to miss a decent chunk of the year before the team has even played a regular-season game.
Most notable is LeBron James, who will also miss the first few weeks of the season due to sciatica. James was originally slated to miss the first few games of the year, but recent reporting from Shams Charania of ESPN said the NBA’s all-time leading scorer will be out until at least mid-November.
Adou Thiero, the Lakers’ most recent draft pick, is also dealing with a knee injury and has been kept out of training camp, too. The rookie doesn’t have a timeline for a return, but has high expectations from both Redick and general manager Rob Pelinka.
Los Angeles also dealt with minor injuries and missed time from Marcus Smart, Austin Reaves, and Doncic, but all are set to play in the season opener.
As seen in the past, compounding injuries can be the downfall for any team in the NBA. The Lakers, like many other franchises, will need a healthy lineup if they expect to compete against the other top teams in the West. Many have high hopes for Los Angeles this year, but the preseason health concerns could be a major factor in their success as the season begins.
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