The Los Angeles Lakers have had a relatively quiet NBA offseason.

Sure, they made a coaching change and a historic draft pick, but these aren't monumental moves. At least, they aren't the kind likely to transform this 47-win team into a top-shelf championship contender.

For that matter, neither are the ideas the Lakers are reportedly kicking around.

If they can clear enough room to gain access to the taxpayer midlevel exception—a possibility perhaps in play after LeBron James took a paycut on his new contract—they have a few targets in mind. According to Jovan Buha and Shams Charania of The Athletic, Gary Trent Jr. and Spencer Dinwiddie "are two names to watch" if L.A. can access that exception.

Those aren't the worst options in the world, but they aren't the kind of needle-movers the Lakers really need to change their fate.

Assets Are Limited, so They Won't Get Many Cracks at Upgrading the Roster

While the Lakers could put a formidable trade offer on the table for the right player, they couldn't do that more than once.

And any asset needed to facilitate a smaller move now might get in the way of brokering a blockbuster later.

L.A. is missing two future first-round picks (2025 and 2027, the latter with top-four protection) and three future seconds (2026, 2028 and 2029). It doesn't have much in the way of high-upside youth on the roster, unless you feel especially bullish about Jalen Hood-Schifino, who barely saw the NBA floor this past season, or think 23-year-old rookie Dalton Knecht can buck the aging curve.

The Lakers must maximize the value of the assets they have. Letting go of some of them for a role player like Trent or Dinwiddie fails to accomplish that.

LeBron James Is Practicing Patience

While the Lakers could feel urgency to act ahead of James' age-40 season, the King himself isn't applying any of that pressure.

"We were one year removed from the Western Conference finals," he told ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "Obviously, this year it didn't go as well this past year. Didn't go as well as we would like, but we're not that far off."

Does James truly believe in this team as much as that makes it sound? Who knows? That answer doesn't actually matter as much as you might think, though.

Had he applied some public pressure to push for upgrades, this front office would have had to either fulfill that request or prepare for some uncomfortable questions at training camp. Since he didn't, the Lakers have more time to carefully plot their path forward.

The Trade Market Doesn't Have What They Need—Yet

Are the Lakers fully convinced that a coaching change and a couple of draft picks is all it takes to bring this club up to championship speed? Probably not.

Which player currently on the trade market and within this franchise's price range would do that, though? Trae Young could be a brutal fit for a roster that has already struggled defending at the point of attack. Zach LaVine would bog down the financial books and add to the injury worries. Lauri Markkanen has never appeared in a playoff game and might cost more than the Lakers can offer, anyway.

That doesn't mean the trade route is one worth avoiding altogether, it's just that this isn't the time to play that card.

Remember, the trade market is fluid. Star players can request deals at any time. Slow starts can convince front offices it's time to pull the plug, especially ahead of a draft as rich as the 2025 talent grab already appears.

An impact addition could still be available to the Lakers at some point between now and February's trade deadline. They have to make sure their asset collection is where it needs to be to answer opportunity's knock whenever it comes.