Maxi Kleber starts the 2025-26 season with an oblique injury
Los Angeles Lakers front/center Maki glue will miss the start 2025-26 NBA season with a stretch, the team announced Tuesday. Kleber will be re-evaluated by the team’s medical staff in about two weeks.
Kleber, 33, joined the Lakers through the 2024-25 season trade for six players including the Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz, who also sent superstar Luka Doncic to Los Angeles and multiple All-Star big man Anthony Davis to Dallas.
Since joining the Lakers, Kleber has appeared in just one playoff game due to multiple injuries.
After recovering from a foot/ankle injury last season, Kleber entered the NBA preseason with a minor quad issue. Now Kleber is back on the injured list, this time with an oblique strain that will keep him out until sometime in November.
Without Kleber available to open the season against the Golden State Warriors and beyond, the Lakers will be left with Deandre Ayton and Jackson Hayes as their only options at center. Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt will fill the gaps at the winger position alongside Ayton and Hayes.
Kleber is not the only Lakers player who will miss the start of the regular season. Rookie forward Adou Thiero is still recovering from a knee injury that plagued him during the preseason, and LeBron James will miss the opening night of the NBA for the first time in his career due to a sciatica problem on the right side.
LeBron is not expected to be available until sometime near mid-November. Los Angeles has not provided any additional updates on James’ status since his diagnosis was announced on Oct. 9.
In 34 games with the Mavericks last season, Kleber averaged 3.0 points and 2.8 rebounds per game while shooting 38.5 percent from the floor and 26.5 percent from 3-point range. He is entering the final year of his contract and will make $11 million this season before becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2026.
2025-10-21 15:21:00
