In the spring, it was announced Luka Dončić would be teaming with former Dallas Mavericks executive Donnie Nelson as part of an ownership group purchasing the Italian basketball club, Vanoli Cremona, with plans to move the team to Rome for 2026-27.
Since then, the roster has been transformed and includes Siena, Italy native Nico Mannion, who was selected 48th overall by the Golden State Warriors in 2020. Among others who could reportedly fill out the roster for BC Roma SPQR (previously Vanolia Cremona) is former Los Angeles Laker and a teammate of Dončić’s, Maxi Kleber, as reported by the Slovenian news outlet SportsKlub.
According to Italian media, former German international and Dončić’s long-time teammate in Dallas and Los Angeles, Maxi Kleber, is also in talks for a possible move to Rome”
Kleber spent his first seven-and-a-half seasons in the NBA as a member of the Dallas Mavericks before joining Los Angeles in February 2025 as part of the shocking Dončić-Anthony Davis trade. He played a key reserve role for the Mavericks in 2022, when they made the Western Conference Finals, and 2024, when they made the NBA Finals.
Across 483 career games, he averaged 6.0 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists, providing Dallas with floor-spacing and versatile defense off the bench.
Injuries played a role in Kleber never finding a consistent spot in the Lakers’ rotation, though he did help the team pick up some wins last season in spot duty. Heading into free agency this summer, rumors suggested his next stop would be in Europe.
Having that stop be a team owned by Luka, though, would be a cool plot twist.
You can follow Jackson on Twitter at @jackfrank_jjf.
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