6. Maxi Kleber, PF
Although Doncic and Morris have seen their fair share of Lakers action since the trade deadline, Maxi Kleber is the only part of the deal with the Mavericks who hasn't. The 6-foot-10 German forward has been sitting on the sidelines as he continues recovering from foot surgery he underwent in January.
The Lakers recently revealed that Kleber has returned to team activities. Having said that, hopeful fans shouldn't hold their breath. While the veteran big man is back in the mix, a return timetable wasn't given, meaning no one is certain that the 33-year-old veteran will be healthy before the playoffs.
If Kleber can't suit up during the regular season's final stretch or in the playoffs, there just isn't much incentive for the Lakers to re-sign him in free agency. It isn't as if he was balling out with the Mavericks before the trade. In fact, it was the opposite as he was averaging career lows in points (3.0), rebounds (2.8), field-goal percentage (38.5%), and three-point success (26.5%) before undergoing surgery.
Kleber's stats have been declining in recent seasons, and no one would be surprised if his age and recent injury forced that trend to continue into 2025-26. Assuming the Lakers don't want to roll the dice on a potential comeback attempt blowing up in their face, Kleber will likely leave the City of Angels once the playoffs end.