The window to fix flaws is closing fast. And for the Los Angeles Lakers, one of their most obvious solutions just disappeared from the board. As the Feb. 5 trade deadline approaches, the Lakers continue searching for a true two-way wing who can hold up defensively without draining their offense. That pursuit has been active. It has also hit a wall.

According to league sources, the players Los Angeles circled at the top of its list are not going anywhere. That decision alone represents more than $180 million in commitments staying put, and it forces the Lakers to pivot with little time to spare. The Lakers’ interest in New Orleans Pelicans wings Herbert Jones and Trey Murphy III has been well established. Both fit exactly what Los Angeles lacks: defensive versatility with reliable perimeter offense.

However, that path is now blocked. “League sources tell The Athletic it’s unlikely that Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy, or Herb Jones will be moved before Feb. 5,” wrote Sam Amick. “While the Pelicans are focused on building a future around 2025 first-round picks Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen, there’s still belief around the team that Murphy, Jones, and Williamson can be foundational pieces of the puzzle moving forward.”

That stance effectively locks in more than $180 million between Jones’ three-year, $68 million deal and Murphy’s four-year, $112 million contract. For the Lakers, it is a double blow. Both preferred solutions are now off the table.

The Lakers have taken steps forward this season. The roster is deeper and more mature. Still, one weakness continues to surface in high-leverage moments: the absence of a dependable three-and-D wing. Los Angeles has defenders who can contribute in spots. It also has offensive pieces who can score. Too often, though, those traits live in separate lineups. The result is a rotation built on tradeoffs rather than balance.

That is exactly why Jones and Murphy were appealing. Jones remains one of the league’s most effective point-of-attack defenders. Murphy, meanwhile, has emerged as New Orleans’ standout performer, averaging 21.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists while spacing the floor at a high level. Either addition would have reshaped the Lakers’ two-way profile.

With New Orleans holding firm, that option is gone.

The Lakers eye a Cavaliers star, who could solve their defensive issues

Despite the setback, the Lakers have not paused. According to Chris Fedor, Los Angeles has engaged the Cleveland Cavaliers in discussions centered on De’Andre Hunter. “My sources tell me that the Cavs and the Lakers have discussed a general framework surrounding De’Andre Hunter, Rui Hachimura, and Dalton Knecht, and then bringing in a third team,” Fedor said on the Wine and Gold Talk podcast.

The framework reflects financial reality as much as basketball fit. Cleveland would need a third team to help absorb salary, with the Brooklyn Nets and Utah Jazz mentioned as possible facilitators.

From Los Angeles’ perspective, the appeal is understandable. The Lakers currently sit near the bottom of the league defensively and in the middle of the pack as a three-point shooting team. Hunter, at his best, addresses both areas.

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The problem is timing. Hunter is not having his strongest season. He is shooting 31 percent from three, and while he opened his first full year in Cleveland, averaging 18.3 points in roughly 29 minutes per game, that production has dipped noticeably in recent weeks.

He still profiles as a three-and-D option. However, he is not viewed around the league at the same level as Jones or Murphy, both of whom currently outperform him on both ends of the floor. That gap is precisely why several teams consider Hunter overpaid relative to his production.

For the Lakers, that context matters. If Jones and Murphy represent premium solutions, Hunter is clearly a fallback. A useful one, perhaps. But not one worth aggressive overpayment.

The Lakers’ preferred targets are staying put. That much is now clear. With more than $180 million in Pelicans contracts effectively removed from the market, Los Angeles must choose between settling for a lesser fit or waiting out a thin deadline landscape.

Either way, the margin for error has shrunk. And the next move will say a lot about how serious the Lakers believe this season can still be.