Lakers Receive Positive Update on Key Player in Major Trade<\/p>\n
Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick has a crucial asset for the upcoming playoffs, as Maxi Kleber is making significant progress towards returning this season.<\/p>\n
According to Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times, Kleber is \u201cscheduled for another evaluation in early April\u201d after undergoing foot surgery, prior to being part of the Luka Doncic\u2013Anthony Davis blockbuster trade.<\/p>\n
While reintegrating Kleber late in the season will be \u201cchallenging\u201d when he is eventually cleared to return, Woike noted that the 6-foot-10, 240-pound Kleber \u201cis a versatile defender who can play some center in small-ball lineups, making him the kind of weapon the Lakers would love to utilize in the playoffs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kleber will add another important option to Redick\u2019s small-ball lineups, alongside Dorian Finney-Smith, Rui Hachimura, and Jarred Vanderbilt.<\/p>\n
The 33-year-old big man averaged 3.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists over 34 games for the Dallas Mavericks this season before suffering a right foot injury in January.<\/p>\n
Kleber has a career 35.4% shooting average from the 3-point line.<\/p>\n
The German forward was shooting just 25.4% from beyond the arc before his injury this season. The Lakers are hopeful that this is an outlier and not an indication of his decline.<\/p>\n
Kleber has shot 34.8% from three over the last two seasons, with a career-high 41% during the 2020-21 campaign. His outside shooting never dipped below 31.3% until this season.<\/p>\n
LeBron Excited to Have Former Maverick Back<\/p>\n
Another player included in the Doncic-Davis trade was Markieff Morris, who was shocked when he first learned of the trade.<\/p>\n
\u201cI got that call from the agent at 1 o\u2019clock in the morning saying that I was traded, man,\u201d Morris said on the \u201cTwin$nWin$\u201d podcast on Feb. 8. \u201cWhen it first happened, I was in shock because obviously, I haven\u2019t played in a couple of years. My first thought was, \u2018Who the hell wants me? Who wants to trade for me?’\u201d<\/p>\n
Morris returned to the Lakers, where he helped win a championship in 2020 during the pandemic bubble in Orlando. He was an important bench player during the Lakers’ championship run, averaging 5.9 points and 3.8 rebounds in 21 playoff games, including two starts.<\/p>\n
However, the 35-year-old veteran no longer holds the same on-court value he did five years ago. He has played only three games since rejoining the Lakers. Nevertheless, his veteran leadership remains highly valued in the locker room, as noted by LeBron James.<\/p>\n
\u201cI missed him,\u201d James said about Morris, according to the LA Times. \u201c\u2026We\u2019ve been in the foxhole together. We\u2019ve been on the floor during big games together. And there\u2019s someone whose opinion I value very much when I come off the floor. He\u2019s watching it. He\u2019s seeing it. I\u2019m just happy to have him back. It\u2019s great to see him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rui Hachimura Expected to Return Soon<\/p>\n
Woike also reported that Hachimura (left patellar tendinopathy) could return as early as next week during the Lakers’ five-game homestand beginning on Sunday, March 16, against the Phoenix Suns.<\/p>\n
Hachimura will miss his seventh game on Thursday against the Milwaukee Bucks and likely Friday\u2019s game against the Denver Nuggets. However, Woike provided some positive news, stating that \u201cHachimura is back on the court doing work, a really positive sign\u201d after his knee injury during the Lakers’ Feb. 27 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.<\/p>\n
The 6-foot-8 forward is averaging 13.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while shooting 50.6% overall and 41% from the 3-point line.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Lakers Receive Positive Update on Key Player in Major Trade Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick has a crucial asset for the upcoming playoffs, as Maxi Kleber is making significant progress towards returning this season. According to Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times, Kleber is \u201cscheduled for another evaluation in early April\u201d after undergoing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27984,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2586],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27983","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lakers"],"yoast_head":"\n