2019 NBA free agency tracker: Grades for every deal so far
Maxi Kleber: 4 years, $35 million (Dallas Mavericks)
Maxi Kleber and the Mavericks have agreed on a four-year, $35 million deal, league sources say
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 1, 2019
Casual NBA fans’ first question might be “Who?” followed quickly by “Wait, how much??” but for those who regularly watched the Dallas Mavericks last year, Maxi Kleber was a positive defensive presence despite being somewhat limited offensively.
His 6.8 points and 4.6 rebounds in 21.2 minutes per game certainly don’t leap off the page, but he shot a respectable 35.1 percent from beyond the arc on 3.1 attempts per game, and he also posted 1.1 blocks on a nightly basis.
As a positional defender, underrated athlete and understate depth piece, reaching an extension with Kleber is good news for the Mavs. The price and length of the contract might be a tad on the generous side, but it’s certainly not an unmovable contract by any means.
Grade: B-