Kleber has been sidelined since before he was traded to the Lakers as part of the Luka Doncic deal, and this will be the first time he is available to suit up for Los Angeles. In a win-or-go-home game for them, it’s unclear how much head coach JJ Redick will lean on a new player that hasn’t played in three months.

At long last, Kleber may be able to make his Lakers’ debut after being sent to Los Angeles as part of the Luka Doncic trade. The veteran forward/center underwent surgery on his right foot days before being traded, having last appeared in a game on January 25. Kleber can potentially add frontcourt depth, but Lakers coach JJ Redick stuck with the same five (Doncic/Reaves/Hachimura/James/Finney-Smith) for the entire second half of Sunday’s Game 4 loss.

Kleber, who had surgery to repair a right foot fracture days before being traded to the Lakers, is inching closer to making his debut for Los Angeles. He was a footnote in the Luka Doncic/Anthony Davis swap, but he could end up being an important depth piece for the Lakers in the postseason. It’s unclear how much longer he’ll be sidelined, but if he does return before the playoffs, it will likely be in a limited role.

Kleber won’t be making his Lakers debut for a while, as he’s still recovering from the broken right foot he suffered with the Mavericks. He’ll look to return after undergoing surgery in the back half of the season.