As the Lakers survived a thriller against the Jazz Sunday night, an otherwise overlooked veteran made his presence felt in the second half. With Deandre Ayton exiting due to a knee contusion, head coach JJ Redick turned to an unlikely backup who made the most of his opportunity: Maxi Kleber.
The 33-year-old forward/center played 14 minutes in the second half of LA’s fourth straight win, finishing with two points (on a crunch time dunk), three rebounds and a block. Though the numbers are underwhelming, Kleber’s night was enough to garner major praise for his ability to do the little things and secure key stops late, including crucial defense on Keyonte George on the game’s final possession.
With Ayton’s status currently unknown and Kleber slowly getting back into a groove, the ninth-year big could very well aid a thinned frontcourt going forward.
Forgotten Laker Making a Name for Himself Amid LA’s Hot Stretch
Lakers’ Big Three Highlights Kleber’s Contributions
The Lakers’ three stars all heaped praise on Kleber, with Luka Doncic calling his performance a “ten out of ten” and LeBron James raving about the veteran’s physicality. Austin Reaves also held Kleber in high regard, saying:
“I told him [Sunday], I was like, ‘I know you think I’m messing with you every time I talk to you,’ but he was one of the best players on the floor for us tonight. Just energy, effort, winning plays. The plays he made, it’s not easy to do. Sitting the whole first half and then coming out there, doing what he did. So, you tip your hat to guys like that. You want to see them succeed.”
Kleber brought some much-needed toughness to the Lakers and showed some mobile defense Sunday night—critical for a team in the middle of the pack on that end of the floor. And although he missed his lone three-point attempt, Kleber does not shy away from expanding his range, nailing 35% of threes for his career, including a game-winner against LA when he played for the Dallas Mavericks.
Now donning the purple and gold, his two-way versatility could be a breath of fresh air for the Lakers’ rotation.
Nov 23, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Kyle Filipowski (22) drives against Los Angeles Lakers forward Maxi Kleber (14) during the second half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Could Kleber Be the Lakers’ 10th Man?
Though the Lakers have run a nine-man rotation since getting back to full strength, Kleber’s recent stretch could force JJ Redick to make an intriguing decision. Insider Jovan Buha posited that Kleber may have a case to enter the team’s rotation, emphasizing his ability to make an impact beyond scoring. In addition to his movement, physicality, and shot selection, Buha brought up Kleber’s high basketball IQ, including times where he tipped the ball out of bounds so the Lakers could set up their defense.
“Between the rebounding, the multi-positional defense, … he’s just a sturdy, reliable, solid veteran big man, and sometimes the Lakers need that. The Lakers high variance players that can be very helpful or very destructive at times. And Maxi, it’s just nice to plug him in and be able to trust him. … He just does all these small, smart things for the Lakers on both sides of the ball.”
He added that potential Kleber minutes could come at the expense of guard Gabe Vincent, opening the door for more double-big lineups with either Ayton or Jaxson Hayes.
“I just think he’s trending toward being a rotation guy, and again, he’s not going to get a double-double. There might be a game where he gets hot from three and hits a few, but that’s probably going to be few and far between. It’s primarily just doing the little things that don’t necessarily show up on the box score, but do show up in plus-minus and do show up in clearly the coaching staff trusting him, and having him close over Jaxson—despite Jaxson having a decent game in his own right.”
The Last Word
Kleber may have a prime opportunity to prove himself if Ayton remains out, but he definitely gives the Lakers’ frontcourt a unique look and has burst onto the team’s radar now that he’s fully healthy. If he improves as the season goes on, the front office may think twice about offloading his expiring contract, too.
© Rob Gray-Imagn Images
