Lakers' Maxi Kleber: Out at least two weeks

The Lakers announced Tuesday that Kleber will be re-evaluated in two weeks due to a left oblique strain, Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet reports.

Kleber had been expected to be a fringe rotation player heading into the season, but the injury will delay his 2025-26 debut and could make it difficult for him to capture a meaningful role once he's healthy. With LeBron James (sciatica) also sidelined to begin the season, the Lakers will likely rely on Deandre Ayton, Jaxson Hayes, Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt and Jake LaRavia as their primary options in the frontcourt.