Will Healthy Maxi Kleber Get Bigger Role with Mavs?

Dallas Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber missed 23 games due to illness last season.

Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Even if Maxi Kleber stays healthy this season, will he be a part of the main rotation for the Dallas Mavericks? With a crowded frontcourt that includes Christian Wood, Dwight Powell and JaVale McGee, finding minutes for Kleber might be tough for coach Jason Kidd.

Last season, the Mavericks bench finished fifth in points per game. A key part of that success was the acquisition of Spencer Dinwiddie. The former Washington Wizards guard averaged 15.8 points and came off the bench in 16 out of 23 games. 

But with Dinwiddie expected to replace Jalen Brunson in the starting lineup, Dallas will be looking for a productive pieces off the bench. 

Could Maxi Kleber be one of those guys? And does his new deal - Maxi and the Mavericks have agreed to a three-year, $33 million contract extension, per a @ShamsCharania report on Thursday - help cement that?

It's possible. Mavs.com reporter Eddie Sefko breaks down what makes Kleber a viable candidate. 

"Kleber loves to hold the telephone to his ear when he connects from long range," Sefko wrote. "In the playoffs, he hit over 50 percent from the field and 43.6 percent from the 3-point line."

Against the Utah Jazz, Kleber put on a show. He averaged 10.3 points and shot 51.6 percent from the 3-point range. In Games 2 and 3, he shot better than 70 percent deep. 

While his ability to shoot would seem to make Kleber a viable candidate in the rotation this upcoming season, his regular season told a different story. 

During the year, he shot 39.8 percent from the floor, including 32.5 percent beyond the arc. In October, he got off to a hot start shooting 47.8 percent from 3 and 50 percent overall. However, in March his percentages dropped, as he made 17.6 percent of his 3-point tries.

Aside from shooting, injuries/health also took a toll as Kleber "missed 22 games in 2020-21 and 23 games last season," Sefko added.

"Because of COVID-19, Kleber had a particularly rough case that knocked him out for a long stretch, then impacted him as he was trying to get back into shape," Sefko wrote.

You can follow Lorenzo Almanza on Twitter at @LorenzoAlmanza2.

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