Key Los Angeles Lakers Piece in Luka Doncic Trade Remains Unsigned

The Los Angeles Lakers’ acquisition of Luka Doncic reshaped the NBA, but one of the other pieces included in that historic trade is still searching for his next destination.

Veteran forward Maxi Kleber remained unsigned as of July 13, almost two weeks after NBA teams were permitted to begin negotiating with free agents. Kleber’s previous three-year, $33 million extension expired after the 2025-26 season, making him an unrestricted free agent.

His next opportunity might not come in the NBA.

BasketNews reported on June 29 that Kleber was exploring a move back to Europe and monitoring the EuroLeague market. Eurohoops subsequently described the 34-year-old as actively evaluating European options for the 2026-27 season.

That would bring an understated end to Kleber’s involvement in one of the most consequential trades in league history.

Maxi Kleber Was More Than a Throw-In to Lakers’ Doncic Trade

The Lakers officially acquired Doncic, Kleber and Markieff Morris from the Dallas Mavericks on February 2, 2025. Los Angeles sent Anthony Davis, Max Christie and its 2029 first-round pick to Dallas, while the Utah Jazz facilitated the three-team agreement.

Doncic was obviously the reason Los Angeles made the deal. But Kleber was a meaningful part of its construction.

His contract provided necessary outgoing salary for Dallas while giving the Lakers an experienced frontcourt player who already understood how to operate alongside Doncic. Kleber had spent his entire NBA career with the Mavericks before the trade, including Dallas’ run to the 2024 NBA Finals.

At his best, the 6-foot-10 forward supplied three traits that are useful next to Doncic: floor spacing, defensive versatility and comfort playing without the ball. Kleber is a career 35.2% 3-point shooter and has averaged 6.0 points, 4.2 rebounds and 0.8 blocks over 483 regular-season appearances.

His Lakers tenure never developed that way, however.

Kleber was recovering from foot surgery when the trade occurred and did not make his Los Angeles debut until Game 5 of the Lakers’ first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He returned to play a limited role during the following season, averaging 2.0 points and 2.0 rebounds while shooting 45.2% from the field.

The Lakers consequently received much less on-court value from Kleber than his history with Doncic initially suggested they might.

Lakers’ Frontcourt Moves Leave Little Room for Kleber

Kleber’s unsigned status also reflects how Los Angeles has changed its frontcourt.

The Lakers have continued adding size and shooting around Doncic rather than preserving a roster spot for Kleber. That reduces the argument for bringing him back even on a veteran-minimum contract, particularly after his outside shooting and availability declined.

Kleber made just 23.1% of his 3-point attempts during the 2025-26 season and moved in and out of JJ Redick’s rotation. Although his defensive awareness and rebounding still offered value in certain matchups, his diminished offensive impact made it difficult to justify consistent minutes.

A team needing an experienced reserve big could still give Kleber a look later in the offseason or during training camp. His familiarity with playoff basketball, ability to defend multiple frontcourt positions and willingness to accept a limited role could appeal to a contender seeking inexpensive depth.

The European option may be more realistic. Kleber played in Germany for clubs including Bayern Munich before joining Dallas in 2017, and a return could provide a larger role than he is likely to find in the NBA.

Doncic became the centerpiece of the Lakers’ future. Kleber, despite arriving in the same transaction, now appears increasingly likely to continue his career somewhere else.

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