FanPost

Another Maverick from Würzburg: Maxi Kleber's Value

When Maxi Kleber was signed by the Mavs back in 2017 many saw it as a token signing to please Dirk Nowitzki, who shares the same hometown as Kleber, in Würzburg. However, Kleber quickly proved he belonged in the rotation, playing in 76 games his rookie season, starting 36 of them. Kleber’s game is not too dissimilar from Dirk’s, as each of them are tall, lanky jump shooters, while Kleber spends more time as a spot up shooter, and Dirk owned the mid-range. Maxi’s value to the Mavs was evident during his absence due to Covid protocols, as with Kleber in the lineup the Mavs actually have a winning record, 10-7. Kleber’s value goes beyond his blistering spot up shooting, as he also provides value through his screening and defensive impact.

Kleber’s Offensive Impact

Maxi’s most obvious offensive contribution comes through his three point shooting, where he is shooting a team best and tenth in the league 45.3%. Kleber takes 74.4% of his shots from behind the arc, This season is a massive jump for Kleber, as he has increased his percentage by 9 points in comparison to his previous career high last season. Is this jump sustainable? Possibly, as he has increased his three point percentage every season since entering the league. Even if he falls back to earth a bit and comes down to around 40%, his value from the arc remains high, as teams will be forced to respect and guard his shot.

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In addition to his shooting, Kleber’s importance on the offensive end extends to his screening, as he provides value as a roll man and in order to switch weaker defenders onto Luka. According to NBA Advanced Stats, as a roll man Kleber provides 1.35 points per possession, which would equate to a 135 offensive rating. While it is on low volume, this is in the 87th percentile of all roll men this season, impressive versatility for primarily a shooter. Kleber’s screening value also comes when teams are switching, as Kleber is usually guarded by bigger forwards or centers, meaning Doncic can exploit these bigger players when Kleber screens for him, drawing a switch. I wrote about this more in depth last week so I won’t get too much into detail here, but below is an example against the Pelicans where a Kleber screen led to a Luka isolation on Zion, which he scored.

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Kleber’s Defensive Impact


Due to Kleber’s height at 6’10", he provides versatility on the defensive end, as he can play both the 4 and 5 for the Mavs. This season he is playing 80% of his minutes at power forward, and 20% as a center. The Mavs win minutes when Kleber is on the floor, as the Mavs post a positive Net Rating with Maxi on the floor, defending 3 points per 100 possessions better than the team’s average. The Mavs defense with Kleber would be 20th in the league, and while that is still not good it is seven places higher than the team’s current DefRtg of 27th. Kleber also defends tough matchups, guarding players like Giannis, Zion, and Kawhi Leonard. Because Kleber takes these tougher matchups, Dorian Finney-Smith is able to pick up smaller players, usually the opponents best player 1-3. These two allow Luka some rest on the defensive end, as he guards weaker offensive players.

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In conclusion Maxi Kleber gives the Mavs an elite shooter that plays good defense, a valuable commodity in today’s NBA. The Mavericks reached once again into the Würzburg pipeline to pick up Kleber in 2017, and he has proven to be a valuable piece for the team. Kleber is locked up until the summer of 2023, giving the Mavs security at the 4 position for the next couple of years.

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