"He's windmilling now?": Lakers fans in awe as Luka Doncic's $33,000,000 German teammate shows off elite athleticism in practice 

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"He's windmilling now?": Lakers fans in awe as Luka Doncic's $33,000,000 German teammate shows off elite athleticism in practice (Image Source:IMAGN, Lakers X)

The LA Lakers might have a deeper roster around Luka Doncic than what everyone may think going into the 2025-26 NBA season. They acquired Deandre Ayton, Jake LaRavia and Marcus Smart without losing any of their players by signing the trio in free agency.

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The Lakers will also benefit from German center Maxi Kleber, who is in the final season of his three-year $33,000,000 contract. Kleber joined LA with Doncic in February, but only played one playoff game. He was sidelined during the regular season and all but one of the Lakers' five playoff games with a right foot surgery.

Kleber was one of the trade candidates for the team because of his expiring deal, but LA never had to use him in negotiations. Now, he could be an asset as a stretch big behind Ayton, or as a complementary piece in a two-big unit at the power forward position.

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Maxi Kleber entered the offseason healthy and is seemingly at full strength. On Sunday, he posted a video of a windmill slam dunk, leaving Lakers fans excited for his contributions next season.

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Here's how Lakers fans reacted:

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Luka Doncic's familiarity with Maxi Kleber could be huge for Lakers

One of the many reasons why retaining Maxi Kleber was beneficial for the Lakers was his chemistry with Luka Doncic. The Slovenian superstar has played with a fellow European teammate since his NBA debut. Their on-court understanding has been impeccable in that stretch.

While Kleber hasn't always been that consistent with his shot, his screening and rolls to the rim have been executed well when he's in a pick-and-roll with Doncic. The Lakers missed that last year with Jaxson Hayes being the only player who could come close to being a perfect partner for Doncic. Even that faded as the season progressed, with Hayes being a one-dimensional offensive player.

On the other hand, Kleber is more versatile. He's also a solid defender in the paint with his 6-foot-10, 240-pound frame. The Lakers can use him at center or power forward, depending on their opponents. He isn't afraid to shoot from range and commands decent respect on the perimeter from his defenders.

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Edited by Arhaan Raje
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