3 Mavericks on Thin Ice Heading Into the NBA Draft
By Cem Yolbulan
3. Maxi Kleber
The 32-year-old combo big has been a mainstay in Dallas since 2017. He is a solid role player who can guard multiple positions and hit open shots on the other end. However, he is aging and struggling to stay healthy.
Plus, he has two more years on his deal, paying him a total of $22 million, making him an overpaid player for the Mavericks. Considering Dallas' tight financial situation, it behooves them to move on from Kleber this summer.
When healthy and available, Kleber has been a valuable rotation piece for Dallas. He provides something other bigs in Dallas can't offer; floor-spacing and defense at the same time. However, he hasn't even played 60 games in any of his last four seasons. When he suits up, he can't play too many minutes either.
It's hard to count on a player like that to be a part of your rotation entering a season. The Mavericks need to find a player who can replace his skill set, whether it's via the draft or the trade market. His $11 million per year contract is a good way to match salaries in a potential deal. If the Mavericks can get out of his contract without sacrificing future assets, they should seriously consider doing so.
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