The Los Angeles Lakers have been awfully quiet during the trading window. The talk around the town is that everybody is waiting for the Giannis Antetokounmpo tower to fall. Once that happens, everything could be set in motion. For the Purple and Gold, it’s possible to access some role stars they really need. And they have the resources to get it done.

The Lakers have a range of expiring contracts to offer to teams. It’s essential considering Antetokounmpo’s trade saga could very well extend to the offseason. For rival teams, it’s an opportunity to gain cap flexibility and go all-in on the Greek Freak in the offseason. The Lakers could capitalize by getting role players who meet their demands.

“As teams maneuver for financial flexibility, the Lakers’ expiring deals and future first-round pick could get them in conversations for high-end role players like Minnesota’s Donte DiVincenzo or Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen, though those scenarios are dependent on the Lakers’ expiring money landing with a third team (and the Lakers having limited sweeteners to incentivize teams to aid in a deal),” The Athletic’s Dan Woike mentioned.

The Lakers’ defense has suffered all season long. Jarrett Allen, an elite rim protector, is coming off an enormous 40-point performance that creates intrigue about how he would look with Luka Doncic, a very willing passer. Furthermore, Donte DiVincenzo addresses their poor shooting rate. The Lakers currently rank 21 in three-point percentage. DiVincenzo could provide an instant boost, nailing close to 39% of his attempts on high volume.

But there’s some roadblocks that hamper any movement. The Lakers, like many other teams, are focused on the summer. Any move now would be a temporary improvement, limiting their ability to make a major move over the summer. That’s the reason Woike believes any “meaningful” change will come in the offseason.

That’s highly likely considering most of their targets are off limits.

The Dallas Mavericks shut the door on the Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers are still having “active” discussions with teams. It does signal that Rob Pelinka is willing to make minor adjustments to reap the most out of the 25-26 campaign. However, the Lakers’ prime targets are off the table. The Pelicans’ wing duo is commanding too high a price.

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And now, the Mavericks aren’t interested in dealing with the Lakers again. They were hoping to get Naji Marshall, but that door could be shut.

“Naji Marshall has also generated interest around the Lakers, though the pathways to any deal with the Dallas Mavericks after the Luka Dončić trade last season have gigantic “road closed” signs all over them. The same is probably true for Daniel Gafford,” Woike wrote.

With all of that, Pelinka stands in a difficult situation. Parting ways with the available first-round pick right now means it won’t be available in the summer. That’s when the Lakers could have cap space with LeBron James’ contract expiring. Furthermore, keeping some of those expiring deals creates enough space to even be involved in the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes. If not that, then the Lakers can draw an enticing free agent while holding their draft capital for an in-season move.

It depends entirely on how the Lakers envision their summer to be. If they feel making a move for a distinguished role player gives them enough stability, they should do it. But if there are any doubts, waiting for the offseason opens up many more doors to improve the roster holistically.