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Maxi Kleber Rumors
Rich Paul: LeBron James has not asked for a trade
Dave McMenamin: Now, I've checked in with both the Lakers and LeBron's camp on this one. For the Lakers, it's business as usual. They have motivation to compete at the highest level and maximize not just LeBron's timeline, but they want to compete now with Luka Doncic. Some have said that the true cause of this situation was the Lakers not offering LeBron a contract beyond next season. But Rich Paul told me that they never asked for one. Paul also made it clear to me that LeBron has not asked for a trade. And Paul hasn't even discussed the possibility of wanting a trade in the future with the Lakers. Paul did tell me that four teams contacted him with interest in trading for LeBron. So now we wait. The Lakers have a full roster to have a decision to make on Shake Milton's contract by July 20th. They also have three expiring contracts in Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, who's here tonight, and Maxi Kleber, plus their 2031 first-round draft pick they can use in trade scenarios. Now, I asked LeBron just before tip off if he'd like to join the broadcast to discuss everything, and he told me, quote, "I ain't got nothing to talk about, guys."
LeBron James expected to pick up final year of his contract for $52.6 million
The only mechanism the Lakers are projected to have in free agency is the taxpayer midlevel exception, worth $5.7 million, because LeBron James is expected to pick up the final year of his contract for $52.6 million, sources told ESPN. On the trade market, Dalton Knecht and the Lakers' 2031 first-rounder will continue to be positive assets the Lakers can include in offers, as well as the expiring contracts of Rui Hachimura ($18.3 million), Gabe Vincent ($11.5 million) and Maxi Kleber ($11 million) as Pelinka searches for a center. Pelinka indicated that Reaves would not be traded when asked about the team's core after the season.
Shams Charania: But then when I got more wind that something was going on, it was Hey, the Lakers and Mavs are going to have a TRADE. I thought it had been what I’d heard about the other day, but then I heard that Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris were in the deal. Hey, Utah’s also in the deal. I heard little bits and pieces, but obviously when I got to source 3-4-5, and had more details. Obviously, if I got one call or text that Luka Dončić was traded for Anthony Davis, I’d probably feel right there in that moment that I’d been duped. But it was a build-up to it, and by the time I got all the details—the tweet I put out had everything, there wasn’t anything missing—my hands were definitely shaking. I knew this was not the tweet to have a typo, this was not the tweet to get anything even minor wrong. Forget minor, you don’t want to get this wrong—period. You don’t want to get anything wrong, but definitely not this. It was an out-of-body night. Even afterwards. My phone had 300 messages. Call on call on call. I took a few calls—a couple people around the league, Pat McAfee, Stephen A. Smith. SportsCenter producer Tom DeCorte called me a few times. I had to take his call because he was wondering what everyone else was wondering—did I get hacked? My phone was malfunctioning. It was overheating.
Maxi Kleber will be available for Lakers in Game 5
Dave McMenamin: JJ Redick says Maxi Kleber is available for Game 5. It’s the first time he’s been cleared for a game since Jan. 25
Jovan Buha: Lakers’ injury report for Game 5 tomorrow vs. MIN: — Maxi Kleber is upgraded to questionable.
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Dave McMenamin: A clean Lakers injury report for Game 3, other than Maxi Kleber, who remains out pic.x.com/H8vGMGaOeC
Dave McMenamin: JJ Redick said he wanted to used Tuesday’s evening practice to be more about physical movement and shooting than mental prep for MIN. Everyone participated - including Maxi Kleber, however Redick said there is no return timeline update for Kleber.
Maxi Kleber took part in practice, no timetable for return
Daniel Starkand: JJ Redick said Kleber participated in practice today and has been doing on-court work, but still no timetable for his return. They did a lot of running and shooting in today’s practice, but no live action.
Any Jokić trade would be complicated, with bidders needing to send between $44 million and $55.2 million in outgoing salary (the former would trigger a first-apron hard cap, the latter likely at the second-apron in most cases). For instance, the Los Angeles Lakers could manage enough outgoing salary with players like Dalton Knecht, Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent and Maxi Kleber. That's an overwhelming top five with LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Dorian Finney-Smith, Dončić and Jokić, but the rest of the roster would mostly need to be players at that minimum (unless James chooses to opt out and re-sign at a discount to help add depth).
Danielle Lerner: Rockets injury report for Friday @ Lakers: Jae'Sean Tate (right ankle soreness) is OUT. Alperen Sengun (personal reasons), Jabari Smith Jr. (left groin soreness) and Fred VanVleet (right ankle soreness) are questionable. Lakers say LeBron James is probable, Maxi Kleber out.
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Mike Trudell: Medical update from the team: Lakers forward/center Maxi Kleber has progressed to on-court activities after undergoing right foot surgery Jan. 30. Kleber will continue his return-to-play process and further updates will be provided as appropriate.
Dave McMenamin: Maxi Kleber, who has been out with a right foot fracture since he was traded to LAL, gets up shots after Lakers practice. JJ Redick said the team would have an update on Kleber’s recovery timeline tomorrow pic.x.com/yUbN4bb91V
Dan Woike: Maxi Kleber is on the court doing spot shooting drills at Lakers practice today. Not doing anything at close to full speed
Markieff's brother Marcus revealed this info on an episode of Kevin O'Connor's podcast on March 18. He explained James' stance. “The part about it I don't think a lot of people see is that ‘Kieff and Luka have a really good relationship. Like, a really good relationship,” Marcus said at the 7:32 mark. “So I think that they probably noticed that and they wanted Luka to feel better going to a new place where you have somebody who has been a teammate. Also Dorian Finney-Smith has been [Doncic's teammate]. Maxi Kleber. So I think that really helped. Also ‘Kieff played there, so the Lakers really wanted him to come. ‘Bron asked for him to come.”
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