Will Maki Kleber make his season debut against the Hawks?

Los Angeles Lakers forward Maki glue has been cleared to play against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. He is listed as questionable with an abdominal strain, but will make his regular season debut. Kleber will join Luka Doncic and the Lakers on a five-game winning streak, which was extended after a 118-116 win against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday.

Doncic flirted with a triple-double (35 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists), led the Lakers to victory and will have Kleber at his disposal in the midst of his return after a nine-game absence, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

“Maxi Kleber was upgraded to available today, according to the Lakers,” McMenamin said. “He could make his season debut after missing the first nine games of the season with an abdominal strain.

Kleber, who was traded to the Lakers along with Doncic, played his first and only game for Los Angeles in a Game 5 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves (103-96) in the first round of the playoffs, which ended the Lakers’ season.

Kleber has shot 3-pointers at a 35.4% clip throughout his career, peaking at 41% in 2020-21. Doncic and the Lakers will see if his shooting can return to near that level of efficiency in Los Angeles, as the Lakers go into the 2025-26 regular season at 8-2 in 10 games.

Maxi Kleber on the joy of Luka Doncic playing for the Lakers

Lakers ahead Maxi Kleber played with Luka Doncic in the Mavericks revealed the difference he saw in Doncic this season compared to last season in Dallas. Kleber, who said it was difficult for Doncic to accept the fact that the Mavericks traded him, addressed the contrast he saw at Port through the early stages of the 2025-26 regular season, according to Sports Spectrum Network’s Khobi Price.

“I think it was obviously a tough situation — a very unexpected way the trade went down and everything with it,” Kleber said in a video that Price shared on X, formerly known as Twitter. “But it’s a lot more fun to see him smile and have fun on the court. Obviously, everyone else on the team supports that and they just want to see him happy because it helps us, too.”

Maxi Kleber, who was teammates with Luka Doncic in Dallas, says it has meant “a lot” to him to see Luka more outwardly joyful with the Lakers and his teammates over the past few months.

Luka shouted: “Ah, yes Maxi! Yes Maxi!” earlier during Maki’s availability: pic.twitter.com/hKAVvP1UtB

— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) November 8, 2025

The Lakers’ matchup against the Hawks kicks off a five-game road trip that continues against the Hornets on Monday.