7:41pm: The Mavericks have officially announced Kleber’s extension (via Twitter).
10:43am: Kleber’s extension will be fully guaranteed, sources tell Charania (Twitter link).
9:04am: The Mavericks are finalizing a three-year extension with forward Maxi Kleber, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who reports (via Twitter) that Kleber’s new contract will be worth $33MM.
Kleber is set to earn $9MM in 2022/23, the final season of the four-year, $34MM deal he signed with Dallas during the 2019 free agent period. His new agreement with the team, which will bump his average annual salary to $11MM, will extend his contract through the 2025/26 season.
An undrafted free agent from Germany, Kleber has spent the last five seasons with the Mavericks. He has appeared in 326 regular season games during that time, starting 136 of them and averaging 7.1 PPG and 4.8 RPG on .446/.359/.796 shooting in 22.7 minutes per contest.
Kleber, 30, saw his shooting percentages drop off noticeably in 2021/22, as he made just 39.8% of his shots from the floor, including 32.5% of his threes. However, Dallas’ new financial commitment to him suggests the team is confident he’ll bounce back in ’22/23.
With Spencer Dinwiddie‘s and Reggie Bullock‘s salaries for 2023/24 not yet fully guaranteed, there might have been a path for the Mavs to create some cap flexibility next summer. However, their deal with Kleber signals they’re fully preparing to operate over the cap again, even with Christian Wood and Dwight Powell still on expiring deals.
Kleber will become one of three Dallas players under contract through at least ’25/26, joining Luka Doncic and Dorian Finney-Smith, who holds a player option for that year.
Because Kleber’s extension will exceed the NBA’s extend-and-trade limits, he’ll be ineligible to be dealt for six months after his signing date. Even if the two sides finalize the agreement shortly, that six-month window will extend into March, well past the 2023 trade deadline, so Dallas won’t be able to move him until next offseason.
Kleber is set to become the 10th player to sign a veteran contract extension so far this offseason, as our tracker shows.
I’m happy with it, I love Maxi.
I’m highly upset that this guy isn’t in Germany rn with his national team. Love that he’s getting that $ tho
It would be nice to see yeah, but Im happy because I don’t want him to have an injury. Hes not too durable especially that he’s older now.
It’s 8 basketball games, 20-25mins/gm. He woulda been fine. Tbh it would have been a major positive, especially if Schröder joins the Mavs & esp if Maxi would have played well, they won a medal & he entered the NBA season on a wave of confidence
shröder isn’t coming, not after what happened yesterday
Schröder isn’t coming bc Geraldo dumped Trump?
because shröder and luka got into it?
Luka played France yesterday. On Tuesday Schröder almost fought 1 of Luka’s teammates but Luka pretty much came in as peacemaker. Schröder was angry but much moreso at losing the game than anything. It was nothing
You’re right, my bad tuesday. The point is Cuban is very cautious with Luka and wants to keep him as happy as possible. Since this happens I feel that Cuban will be hesitant to give Shröder a contact. And even if this didn’t happen I still think we would’ve left the final roster spot open going into the season.
If making Luka happy is priority 1 then they’ll def try to sign Dennis. Def a high respect level bw those 2 & Dennis would obv make Dallas a better team. I think Toronto is a much better fit for him tho & vice versa
I’m talking chemistry wise. Dennis is a good and underrated and over hated player. But chemistry wise I don’t see it being a good fit. Especially with how much our team values chemistry
Holy crap, YOU are on the roster!
Yikes. Not sure he cracks $5M a year on the open market, doubt he would get a 3 year deal too. Not a savvy deal for the Mavs.
@philly he’s a fan favorite tho
He is a 38% 3FG in the playoffs and a good and versatile defender. This contract is Ok, even more when the cap rises up.
Idk, Still is over double what anyone else would likely pay him on the open market.
Please list a few players currently signed for less than Kleber that are better than kleba.
Andre Drummond, TJ Warren, Taurean Prince, PJ Tucker, Gary Payton II, Otto Porter Jr, John Wall just to name a few of the guys with new contracts getting paid less than Maxi who are arguably/easily better than him
Oh man, Drummond? I said list players who are better, not put up more stats but have negative impact on winning.
Agreed that TJ Warren is way better than Maxi at scoring (and probably just overall), however Warren is only cheaper because hes coming off the injury, otherwise he would be same price or more.
Furkan Korkmaz. JaMychal Green. Bullock. Kyle Anderson. Cedi Osman. Thad Young. Bruce Brown. Otto Porter. Torrey Craig. Jeff Green. Mike Muscala. Niang. Derrick Jones. All pretty comparable or putting up better numbers all making less or in some cases far less than Kleber will.
Furman Korkmaz? Dam u went off the rails quick. Niang? Moose? TCraig? Give Maxi some credit, he is pretty good
It was hard to type some of those names. But the stats support it. Like Look at Korkmaz and his per 36 or advanced stats. Even Muscala like he’s playing better than Maxi when you equalize the minutes and look at advanced stats.
When u watch the games tho it’s easy to see why Maxi is so much better than them overall. He’s much, much better than them defensively. Much better rebounder. Moose is 1 of the softest bigs in the league, Furkan is 1 of the softest wings. Maxi is a player tho. When Muscala & Furkan come in the game teams often go right at them. Can’t do that to Maxi. Maxi is way more versatile those guys too. He can bury a trey on u just as quick as he can dunk on u. Muscala & Korkmaz are basically 1 trick ponies
That’s shocking that you don’t like Moose. SHOCKING I tell you! I can’t imagine why.
Yeah I can.
124 Ortg 110 drtg and 19.7 PER vs 109 ortg and 107 drtg and 11.0 PER
First one is Muscala, second is Maxi.
Like I said, stats and advanced metrics paint a different story. We haven’t seen Muscala in the playoffs much. Maxi has more minutes played this year than Muscala entire playoff career.
But the point still stands that we agree on…there’s like 2 dozen non-rookie deal players paid way less than Kleber. So this is a pretty bad extension based on that alone. Like when you give these deals out you skew the market too. Kinda like the Gobert trade. Now you’ll have even more overpaid dudes in the league. Reminds me a bit of the cap hike year, teams signed so many bad deals.
Kleber still has a small edge in most of the advanced stats over mostof these guys. He’s also a fan fav which u cant quantify using the stats at bbreference.
Cuban is a dunce, not that I necessarily dislike this move, I think Maxi earned this in their playoff run. Mavs have some awful contracts.
Dinwiddie-THJ-Bertans = $56 Million
Finny Smith-Powell-Bullock-Kleber = $42 Million
Mavs have taken 100 million dollars and put serviceable vets around Luka. THAT WONT WIN THEM ANYTHING. And these guys are locked up for a couple years.
I understand some might view Luka as truly that good and that dominate to where he doesn’t need to 2nd guy. That’s great. You’re wrong. This team needs a Kris Middleton to Luka’s Giannis. A true 2nd option now that Brunson left. God I love Luka Doncic but Cuban thinks he’s a wizard. He’s not.
The Mavs were better without Porzingis as the second option. With Dinwiddie and Brunson spacing things out and giving more passing options alongside Luka, the Mavs soared. Luka is the Iverson on this team. He just needs guys who can take some of the load from his shoulders. Having Wood as a fabulous pick-and-roll finisher and Dinwiddie another year removed from his ACL injury gives Luka plenty of backup.
Which Mavericks Player do you think would fit best in today’s NBA?
Shawn Marion, James Donaldson, Shawn Bradley, Mark Aguirre, Derek Harper, Brad Davis, or Sam Perkins?
Rank if possible
Top3 would be Aguirre, Matrix & Harper… Aguirre is def more suited for the 80s but more than anything he was just a born scorer & would adapt to being a quality scorer in today’s game too even if he wouldn’t be a #1 option like he was in Dallas. Marion is so versatile & so bouncy & great defensively he’d be just as great as he was when he was playing tbh. Harper would still be a starting caliber guard. His competitiveness & shooting ability would translate big time. He’d def be able to step out & hit the treys necessary to stretch defenses nowadays. Sam Perkins is a close 4th. He’d have to be a 5, not sure he’s quick enough to play 4. Roy Tarpley might been #1 on this list as far as playing in today’s game.
Marion, absolutely. The Matrix was today’s NBA before today’s NBA.
Sankara alternate account?
1/ Matrix
2/ Aguirre
3/ Perkins
4/ Harper
Donaldson, Bradley & Davis not so much!
Left Hand Sam easy. Harper as well.
Luka may just explode this season as he’ll be coming into camp in shape unlike last season… So I cannot count out the Mavs…
Kleber is an ok player, if his shot returns that’s a good deal, if not eeeeeep….
Christian Wood will most likely eat into Kleber’s minutes either way…
shroder he suck
Maxi pad?