The Los Angeles Lakers' efforts to clear cap space for a third max slot have reportedly “gone nowhere,” according to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated.

The Lakers are actively shopping their spare parts to create a third max slot so they can go after Kawhi Leonard or Kemba Walker in free agency this offseason. As it stands, the Purple and Gold are well short of having a third max slot.

The Lakers have shopped the spare parts they have remaining, per league sources, but with a limited ability to sweeten a deal with draft picks, talks have gone nowhere. That leaves the Lakers well short of a max salary slot (goodbye, Kemba Walker, Kyrie Irving) and in a tough position to nab multiple high–level players, especially in a market where Terrence Ross could command $15 million or more per year.

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The Lakers will pay LeBron James $37.4 million and Anthony Davis $27 million next season. Kyrie Irving is widely expected to sign with the Brooklyn Nets, while Leonard will most likely either re-sign with the Toronto Raptors or join the Los Angeles Clippers.

However, if the Lakers can get that third max slot, they would have a better chance to convince Leonard to come to the team. Same with Walker, who can earn roughly $221 million with the Charlotte Hornets. Walker wants to win, but he's not going to join LA for cheap just to play with LeBron and AD.