Lakers miss out on another free-agent target, who signs with Bucks

The Lakers need to add talent to a team that finished seventh in the competitive Western Conference, but it doesn't seem like free agents want to go there.

Coming off a 4-1 first-round loss to the Denver Nuggets, the Lakers have been "patient" this off-season, though some could call their approach "inactive."

They've added only rookies Dalton Knecht and Bronny James to their roster, which lacks open roster spots thanks to player options handed out to marginal players last summer. Meanwhile, the team has lost backup point guard Spencer Dinwiddie and forward Taurean Prince, who played the fifth-most minutes for last year's team.

It's possible Trent only wanted to play with his old teammate Damian Lillard, or that he saw a starting spot available in Milwaukee that wasn't there with the Lakers. But he's joined an expanding list of players who simply weren't interested in joining up with LeBron James and Anthony Davis this summer, including Klay Thompson, who picked the Dallas Mavericks over a larger offer from Los Angeles.

Thompson went to Dallas even though his father is a broadcaster for the team. Trent went to Milwaukee despite being a Klutch Sports client, the same agency as James and Davis and the unofficial recruiter for any LeBron teammates.

The Lakers' wish list this summer reportedly included Jonas Valanciunas, DeMar DeRozan and Thompson, all of whom chose other teams. That might be disinterest, or it could be a result of Lakers GM Rob Pelinka's inability to open up any roster spots in advance.

Two of those roster spots are going to players who, based on Summer League, aren't anywhere near contributing next season. Second-year forward Maxwell Lewis had as many turnovers as made baskets in Monday's 88-74 loss to the Boston Celtics, and finished -23 in his 21 minutes.

In Friday's blowout loss, he shot 2-for-8 with four turnovers. For a player in his second Summer League about to turn 22, those are discouraging numbers.

Then there's Bronny James, who also has a full NBA contract and not a two-way deal. Through two games in Vegas, James has shot 4-for-19 and gone 0-for-11 on three-pointers.

Counting his two games at the California Classic, James is shooting 7-for-31 (23%) and has missed all 15 of his threes. He simply doesn't look like an NBA player yet, playing with enthusiasm but not enough skill or force.

There's still a chance the Lakers make a trade, perhaps for Klutch client Jerami Grant of the Portland Trail Blazers. As for now, the Lakers don't seem willing or able to make any moves to improve.