Luka Dončić’s Explosive Tirade: “I’d Rather Bench Myself Than Play With Him!” – Bombshell Accusation Rocks Lakers After Suns Debacle

In a stunning postgame bombshell that has sent shockwaves through the NBA, Luka Dončić unleashed a scathing, unprecedented attack on one of his own Los Angeles Lakers teammates, labeling him “the source of the disaster” behind the team’s humiliating 125-108 blowout loss to the Phoenix Suns on December 1.

The Slovenian superstar, fresh off a 38-point masterpiece marred by nine turnovers, dropped jaws with a raw, emotional rant that exposed deep fractures within a Lakers squad riding high on a seven-game winning streak just days earlier.

“I’d rather sit on the bench for the entire season than play one more minute with him!” Dončić thundered in the locker room, his voice echoing off the walls of Crypto.com Arena as reporters swarmed.

“Every time I see him step on the court, I feel like I’m betraying my own career and my own dignity. He’s the source of the disaster – the worst player on this team from day one, and his boneheaded mistakes just handed Phoenix the game on a silver platter.”

The target of Dončić’s fury? None other than Maxi Kleber, the 35-year-old veteran forward acquired in the blockbuster February 2025 trade that shipped Anthony Davis to Dallas in exchange for Dončić himself.

Kleber, who has been a glaring weak link in the Lakers’ rotation all season, was directly culpable for several catastrophic errors in the Suns loss.

With the game tied at 31-31 after a blistering first quarter where Dončić dropped 20 points, Kleber’s meltdown in the second frame ignited Phoenix’s 35-21 run that ballooned into a 21-point halftime lead.

He coughed up three turnovers in just seven minutes – including a lazy inbound pass intercepted by Dillon Brooks for an easy fast-break dunk and a telegraphed handoff that Collin Gillespie turned into a career-high 28-point explosion.

But Kleber’s sins went far beyond that fateful night. Dončić’s indictment paints a picture of a player who has been a ticking time bomb since training camp.

Averaging a pitiful 2.0 points, 1.9 rebounds, and a league-worst -8.2 plus/minus in limited bench minutes across 20 games this season, Kleber’s inefficiencies are staggering: a career-low 42.9% field goal shooting, a dismal 37.5% from three on low-volume attempts, and a turnover rate that balloons to 25% when he’s on the floor.

Defensively, he’s been a sieve, allowing opponents to shoot 58% when guarding them – the highest mark among Lakers rotation players.

Sources close to the team whisper that Kleber’s lack of foot speed and hesitancy in pick-and-roll coverages have forced Dončić into isolation after isolation, contributing to the guard’s league-leading 4.1 turnovers per game.

“Luka’s not wrong,” one anonymous Lakers assistant coach told reporters off the record. “Maxi’s been a ghost out there. We brought him in as trade filler, but he’s poison in the locker room and on the court. His errors aren’t just mistakes; they’re momentum killers.

That pass to Brooks? It was like watching a slow-motion car crash.”

The Suns capitalized mercilessly, forcing 22 Lakers turnovers – 32 points off them – while Kleber’s gaffes alone led to eight Phoenix buckets. Brooks torched L.A.

for 33 points, Gillespie erupted for 28 (including 16 in the fourth), and even a hobbled Devin Booker managed 11 before exiting with a groin tweak.

For the Lakers, it was a rude awakening: LeBron James, returning from injury management, mustered just 10 points on 4-of-12 shooting, while Austin Reaves added 16 but committed five turnovers of his own.

Dončić, despite his heroics (15-of-26 shooting, 11 boards, five assists), shouldered the blame publicly for his nine miscues – all live-ball steals – but saved his sharpest barbs for Kleber.

This isn’t just sour grapes; it’s a symptom of a deeper Lakers malaise. At 15-5 entering the game, the purple and gold were the Western Conference’s darlings, fueled by Dončić’s MVP-caliber dominance (35.3 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 8.9 APG) and a chemistry-forged offense that ranked third in efficiency.

The trade that landed Dončić – a seismic swap decried as “lopsided” by Dallas faithful – was hailed as a masterstroke, pairing the 26-year-old phenom with James and a revamped roster featuring Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart. Yet, Kleber’s inclusion as salary filler has backfired spectacularly.

The German big man, once a reliable 3-and-D role player in Dallas, has regressed into a non-factor, his $11.2 million contract now a albatross as the Lakers eye playoff contention.

Head coach JJ Redick, thrust into the fray just two years into his tenure, now faces the most precarious crisis of his career. “This is a wake-up call,” Redick admitted postgame, his voice strained as he dodged direct questions on Dončić’s outburst. “We talk about accountability, but tonight exposed vulnerabilities.

Luka’s passion is what makes him great, but we can’t let frustration fracture us. Maxi knows he has to step up – or step aside.” Insiders report Redick huddled with front office brass Rob Pelinka and LeBron James until 3 a.m., debating Kleber’s future.

Whispers of a buyout or waiver wire dump swirl, especially with the Lakers’ grueling road trip looming: Toronto on Thursday (without Dončić, sidelined for personal reasons), Boston Friday, and Philadelphia Sunday.

Dončić’s comments, leaked via a team source to ESPN just hours after the game, have ignited a firestorm on social media.

#BenchKleber trended nationwide, with fans memeing the forward’s turnover-prone play as “Kleber’s Curse.” Dallas Mavericks supporters, still bitter over the trade that netted them Davis but cost their homegrown hero, piled on: “Told y’all Maxi was dead weight. Luka’s carrying that trash fire.” Even neutral observers like Stephen A.

Smith weighed in on First Take: “This is locker room Armageddon! If Dončić’s calling out a vet like that, Redick’s seat is scorching. Lakers better fix this before it implodes their title dreams.”

For Kleber, the backlash is brutal. The 13-year veteran, who won a ring with the 2011 Mavericks, issued a terse statement via the team: “I own my mistakes. I’ll work harder.

This group’s bigger than one game.” But actions speak louder: In 34 games last season with Dallas pre-trade, he averaged a measly 3.0 points on .385 shooting – numbers that have only worsened in L.A.

His defensive rating of 118.4 is the NBA’s worst among players logging 10+ minutes, per Cleaning the Glass metrics.

Teammates, per reports, have privately urged management to cut bait, viewing him as a distraction amid a roster brimming with youth like Dalton Knecht (6.8 PPG off the bench) and Jake LaRavia.

As the Lakers lick their wounds, Dončić’s unfiltered rage underscores a high-stakes truth: Championship windows are unforgiving.

With James turning 41 in December and nursing a nagging foot issue, the pressure is on Dončić – the face of the franchise since his $165 million extension in August – to lead without apology.

“I love my guys, but we can’t afford passengers,” he added in a follow-up text to reporters. “If we’re chasing rings, everyone’s got to earn their spot. No exceptions.”

Redick’s response? A closed-door film session Tuesday, where Kleber sat front-row as turnovers were dissected frame-by-frame. “It’s tough love,” Reaves said. “Luka’s fire pushes us.

Maxi’s a pro; he’ll bounce back.” But with the Suns loss marking L.A.’s first blemish since November 10, and Dončić’s absence Thursday amplifying the urgency, the clock is ticking.

This saga isn’t just drama; it’s a pivotal crossroads. Will Kleber redeem himself, or become the scapegoat in a Lakers redemption arc? As Dončić himself put it: “Dignity starts with winning. Let’s get back to it.” For now, the NBA world watches, breathless, as purple-and-gold unity hangs by a thread.