Los Angeles Lakers finally have reason to smile after weeks of battling injury setbacks. Ahead of their much-anticipated road game against the Atlanta Hawks, the team has received a massive lift with the return of forward-center Maxi Kleber, who has been cleared to make his long-awaited season debut.
Kleber’s return brings much-needed relief to Lakers
After sitting out the first nine games of the campaign, Kleber will be available off the bench when the Lakers open their five-game road trip in Atlanta. The 33-year-old German big man’s comeback couldn’t have come at a better time, as the Lakers continue to manage fitness concerns across their roster.
“I’m gonna be ready,” Kleber told reporters during Saturday morning’s shootaround. “Just be prepared and be back out with the guys, get back in rhythm and routine.”
The Los AngelesLakers’ frontcourt depth has been stretched thin since the start of the season, making Maxi Kleber’s return a crucial addition. His defensive versatility and ability to stretch the floor will offer head coach Darvin Ham valuable flexibility in rotations, especially against a Hawks side that thrives on offensive pace.
Overcoming a grueling injury stretch
Kleber’s road to recovery has been far from easy. He suffered an abdominal muscle strain during a preseason practice drive to the basket, which sidelined him for nearly two months. It came right after what the Lakers had initially termed a “minor” quadriceps issue sustained on the very first day of training camp on September 30.
“Very unfortunate, unlucky,” Kleber admitted while reflecting on his injury woes. “But we tried our best to maintain conditioning and everything else. Try to come back as fast as possible.”
This sequence of setbacks followed an even longer recovery earlier in the year. Maxi Kleber spent most of the offseason rehabbing from a fractured right foot, an injury that cost him the final three months of the previous season with the Dallas Mavericks.
He was later traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in February as part of the deal involving Luka Doncic.
Despite his prolonged absence, Kleber managed to feature briefly in the Lakers’ preseason finale against the Sacramento Kings on October 17, recording three points and three rebounds in ten minutes.