Los Angeles Lakers forward/center Maxi Kleber will miss the start of the 2025-26 NBA season with an oblique strain, the team announced on Tuesday. Kleber will be re-evaluated by the team's medical personnel in approximately two weeks.
Kleber, 33, joined the Lakers during the 2024-25 season as part of a six-player trade involving the Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz, which also sent superstar Luka Doncic to Los Angeles and multi-time All-Star big man Anthony Davis to Dallas.
Since joining the Lakers, Kleber has appeared in only one playoff game as a result of multiple injuries.
After spending time recovering from a foot/ankle injury last season, Kleber entered the NBA preseason with a minor quad issue. Now, Kleber is once again on the injured list, this time with an oblique strain that will sideline him until sometime in November.
Without Kleber available for the season opener against the Golden State Warriors and beyond, the Lakers will be left with Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes as their only options at center. Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt will fill gaps at the power forward position next to 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 has held him out through the preseason, and LeBron James will miss NBA Opening Night for the first time in his career due to a sciatica problem on his 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 October 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.
