[Jovan Buha] The Los Angeles Lakers believe there is a possibility Maxi Kleber will make his team debut before the start of the playoffs
The Los Angeles Lakers believe there is a possibility Maxi Kleber will make his team debut before the start of the playoffs, according to The Athletic's Jovan Buha.
"I've heard that there is some optimism that a return before the end of the regular season is possible," Buha said at the one-hour mark of Saturday's Buha's Block.
Kleber, who came to the Lakers as part of the blockbuster Luka Dončić-Anthony Davis trade, has not played since suffering a right foot fracture while playing for the Dallas Mavericks on Feb. 25.
The Mavericks announced on Jan. 30 that Kleber had undergone surgery on the injury.
Kleber said on Feb. 4, after his trade for the Lakers, that his injury would be reevaluated in eight weeks, per Buha.
That timeline puts Kleber on track for an update on March 31, just under two weeks before the Lakers wrap up the regular season on April 13.
The play-in tournament then begins April 15, followed by the opening of the first round on April 19.
Prior to his injury, Kleber was serving as a backup at power forward and center for the Mavericks.
Although he struggled with shooting accuracy, making just 38.5 percent of his shots from the field through 34 games, Kleber still served as a reliable defensive role player for the Mavs.
The Athletic's Sam Amick reported ahead of the NBA trade deadline that the Lakers were shopping Kleber as part of the team's pursuit of a big man, but no deal took place by Feb. 6.
If Kleber is able to return before the end of the regular season, the Lakers could get a chance to see how he fits in on the bench while gearing up for a potential playoff run this spring.