Former Lakers Big Man Set To Rejoin Luka Doncic – But There’s A Twist

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Former Lakers Big Man Set To Rejoin Luka Doncic – But There’s A Twist

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 30: Maxi Kleber #14 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates after scoring against the Washington Wizards during the second half at Capital One Arena on January 30, 2026 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) Getty

Eli Gregorski · HEAVY

Mon, Sep 14, 2026 ·

5 min read

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NBA basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers, Slovenia's Luka Doncic attends a 'Stay in Play' event organised by the Luka Doncic Foundation to help young players, in Rome on June 26, 2026. Doncic is part of the ownership group of a new basketball club in Rome. The group bought the Italian team Vanoli Cremona and moved it to Rome, bringing top-level basketball back to the capital. (Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP via Getty Images) — NBA basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers, Slovenia's Luka Doncic attends a "Stay in Play" event organised by the Luka Doncic Foundation to help young players, in Rome on June 26, 2026. Doncic is part of the ownership group of a new basketball club in Rome. The group bought the Italian team Vanoli Cremona and moved it to Rome, bringing top-level basketball back to the capital. (Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP via Getty Images) Getty

Lost in the headlines of the famous Luka Doncic trade that sent him from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers was that forward/center Maxi Kleber was also a part of the deal.

Kleber missed out on the remainder of the 2024-25 season due to injury, but came off the bench for the Lakers this past year.

Currently an NBA free agent, Kleber appears to be on the move again. With his contract with the Lakers now over, the German is linked to a new team in Europe: Roma SPQR, which is co-owned by his former teammate.

Maxi Kleber Linked To Joining Luka Doncic's EuroLeague Team

Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber, Los Angeles Lakers, Roma SPQR — GettyDALLAS, TX – OCTOBER 26: Maxi Kleber #42 of the Dallas Mavericks celebrates a teammate's basket against the Houston Rockets in the second half at American Airlines Center on October 26, 2021 in Dallas, Texas. The Mavericks won 116-106. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)

Still unsigned to an NBA roster for the upcoming 2026-27 season, Kleber, 34, is reportedly in talks to join the team partially owned by Doncic.

"It appears that the roster-building process for Roma SPQR is not yet complete. According to Italian media reports, Maxi Kleber, the former German national team player and Luka Doncic's longtime teammate in Dallas and Los Angeles , is also in talks about a possible move to Rome," SportsKlub reported.

Kleber appeared in 43 games for the Lakers this past season, including one start. In just 10.7 minutes per game, he put up an average of two points, two rebounds, and 0.6 assists as a reserve big man in Los Angeles.

He finished out his three-year, $33 million contract after being traded to the Lakers with Doncic in 2025, and after going unsigned as an unrestricted free agent over the past NBA offseason, is eyeing a EuroLeague move.

Despite being 34 and never becoming a high-level big man in the NBA, Kleber has the potential to be a big addition for Roma SPQR. Along with his nine seasons in the league and relationship with Doncic, Kleber could help recruit other NBA players to join the Italian squad.

"Standing at 6'10, Kleber has the size to still be an effective player and could still make an impact within EuroLeague should he finalize a deal with Roma, but the idea of joining a team that's at least partially owned by his former teammate does introduce an interesting dynamic into their already lengthy relationship," Jack Haslett wrote on the reports of Kleber joining Doncic's team in Rome.

Kleber, now set for a departure from American basketball, has career averages of six points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists on 44.4% shooting in 483 total games in Dallas and Los Angeles.

Luka Doncic and Roma SPQR

Doncic joined the ownership group of the Italian team with Donnie Nelson earlier in 2026.

"Luka Dončić is teaming up with former Dallas Mavericks executive Donnie Nelson to bring basketball to Rome," Dave McMenamin of ESPN wrote when the news broke. "Nelson, who was president of basketball operations for the Mavericks when they traded for Dončić on draft night in 2018, is the lead investor and managing partner of a group that purchased the professional basketball club Vanoli Cremona in Italy's Lega Basket Serie A, it was announced Friday."

Former Golden State Warriors guard and Italian native Nico Mannion is already on the Roma SPQR roster, and Kleber could be the next former NBA player to join the Doncic-owned team.

The team has hopes of becoming Italy's top-represented team in the new NBA Europe program, and the Lakers star himself has high hopes for his newest investment.

"I have dreamed about owning a team in Europe for a long time, to finally have this happen is amazing," Dončić said in a statement. "Vanoli has a great history, and we are ready to take it to the next level in Rome. We have an amazing group of partners, and I really believe we can do something special for basketball in Italy and Europe."

Now, it appears his former Lakers and Mavericks teammate, Kleber, appears to be the next big name to join Roma SPQR.

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