The Dallas Mavericks came up short in the 2022 Western Conference Finals against the Golden State Warriors but still had a great season. Heading into the NBA offseason, they pinpointed the frontcourt as being the area of the roster that they needed to strengthen.
Little time was wasted attacking that need. The team acquired Christian Wood from the Houston Rockets ahead of the 2022 NBA Draft for a package of players who weren’t part of the playoff rotation and a 2022 first-round pick.
In free agency, they swiftly signed JaVale McGee away from the Phoenix Suns. McGee was already named the starting center for the team and agreed to a three-year deal, which some people have questioned the value of. Now, even more, money has been dumped into the frontcourt.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Dallas has agreed to a three-year extension with Maxi Kleber worth $33 million. Kleber was heading into the final season of his contract but is now signed through 2026 with a fully guaranteed extension.
This is a good signing by the front office as Kleber was an integral part of the team’s rotation during the postseason. While he was not in the starting lineup, he received the most minutes per game out of any of the big men on the roster.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Maxi Kleber & Dallas Mavericks Updates
Kleber averaged 25.4 minutes per game and got the job done. He was efficient with a shooting split of .509/.436/.714 in the postseason, averaging 8.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game. A solid rim protector, Kleber is the perfect fit alongside Luka Doncic in the frontcourt.
Dallas is very deep in the frontcourt and could have a logjam on their hands. In addition to the three players mentioned here, the team still has Dwight Powell on the roster. Dorian Finney-Smith, who signed a contract extension during the 2021-22 season, has also played minutes at power forward.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Maxi Kleber & Dallas Mavericks Updates
Jason Kidd will have his hands full when figuring out how to allocate minutes in the front office this upcoming season. You can expect Kleber to once again be a main part of the rotation, especially with how much money he will now be earning.
