When reports surfaced on Wednesday that Indiana Pacers sharpshooter Buddy Hield is seeking a trade, I assume I wasn't the only person invested in the Los Angeles Lakers to hear The Rock in my head.

After all, Hield — a former Rob Pelinka client — has been linked to the Lakers for years (as was his teammate, Myles Turner). At this time last year, the Lakers and Pacers were reportedly at the one-yard line on a trade involving Russell Westbrook.

But, to quote a recent colleague of Mr. Rock: Not so fast.

Here's why you shouldn't expect to see Hield in purple and gold anytime … soon.

The Lakers are (currently) prioritizing continuity

As Pelinka repeatedly stressed — then validated with actions — and as Jeanie Buss reiterated this week, the Lakers took a refreshing approach to the offseason. Instead of star-chasing or overhauling the roster (yet again), they re-signed core pieces, got younger, and improved around the margins.

As training camp fast approaches, the Lakers roster is set. They have 14 players on NBA contracts; they'll keep the final spot open for midseason flexibility. Even if Hield were immediately attainable (more on that momentarily), a substantial trade at this juncture would undermine their newfound team-building philosophy.

They don't (currently) have a need

The Westbrook squads were glaringly bereft of dependable snipers and consistent off-ball movers. Nobody carried requisite the gravitational pull to space things out for LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

That's no longer the case. The 2023-24 Lakers may not be the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors, but they have quality shooters and, in some cases, movers: Austin Reaves, D'Angelo Russell, Gabe Vincent, Max Christie, Taurean Prince, Christian Wood, even Rui Hachimura, should he prove the 2023 playoffs were no fluke. Hield is probably in a different class a high-volume floor-warper, but the Lakers are no longer in dire need of perimeter shooting.

They (currently) cannot trade for him

The most pertinent obstacle preventing the Lakers for striking a Hield deal? League rules.

Hield is set to earn $18.6 million in 2023-24 — the final season of a four-year, $94 million deal. The Lakers are over the salary cap, so they have to (basically) match salaries in any trade. Excluding LeBron, AD and Reaves (all off the table), the Lakers are, at the moment, severely limited in movable assets. Newly-extended Jarred Vanderbilt can't be dealt until next summer. Christie is presumably a non-starter for the 30-year-old Hield. Jalen Hood-Schifino will only make $3.7 million. Anybody signed in free agency — Russell, Hachimura, Vincent, Prince, Wood, Jaxson Hayes, Cam Reddish — are ineligible to be traded until Dec. 15.

Don't get it twisted, though: Once that date passes, the Lakers could very much be in the Hield business, if the Pacers hold onto him until then. Hachimura ($17 million) may be expendable if the Lakers do, in fact, allow AD to play more power forward (despite the presences of Rui, Vando, LeBron, and Prince). Perhaps, considering Hachimura's youth, the Lakers could even net a pick in that scenario.

The cleaner trade is Russell for Hield. The Lakers would prefer for DLo to be a game-changing X-factor this season, but the 27-year-old was partially brought back — at two-years, $36 million — as a trade chip.

Russell and Reaves shared nice moments together, but the Lakers thrive when Reaves is either the lead or secondary playmaker (after LeBron). The Lakers can certainly succeed with both, especially if Russell is willing to stagger his minutes with Reaves and, ideally, embrace a Sixth Man role. Otherwise, pairing Reaves — a lifelong point guard — with a shooter of Hield's quality, buoyed by Vincent and Christie, is the most logical backcourt rotation.

For the next three months, though, all the Lakers can do is … nothing.