Can the Lakeshow make a quick return to the top?

Since 1999 the Staples Centre has provided the people of Los Angeles with a stage from which the likes of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant have dazzled, producing consistent play-off finishes and championship sides.

But for the first time in years the LA Lakers have been put in the shade by their little brothers the LA Clippers, with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin likely to provide Hollywood with its highlights reel in 2014/15.

Since the championship winning 2010 season the Lakers have been in freefall, with Mike Brown and Mike D’Antoni both dumped as head coach during the past two years and numerous poor decisions made by the Lakers front office.

While fans have always loved the showtime aspect of their teams, they know that defence wins championships. The D’Antoni appointment was baffling considering his lack of interest in defensive play and a fast-paced offence was his key to bringing back the good times. Oh, how wrong he was.

Opposing teams began putting up huge numbers and the fears were finally realised this year, when the Lakers hit rock bottom and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2005.

This, coupled with the disastrous Dwight Howard deal and overly loyal contracts given out to Steve Nash and Bryant (though many would argue deservedly so), along with holding onto Pau Gasol too long, has had a huge impact on their available playing stocks.

But the strength of a team can be a season to season proposition – as the Cavs have shown this off-season – and the Lakers can turn this around very quickly, but if that’s the case then who stays and who goes?

This off-season has seen some player movement but certainly nothing that will transform the Lakers into a powerhouse again. Gasol moved onto greener pastures in the hunt for another ring and his direct replacement Carlos Boozer is a questionable signing.

Boozer is on low wages and may provide some offensive help to Bryant but he hates defending and fans will know early on whether this move is a straight out bust. Jeremy Lin may end up working with Bryant in the back court but his passing and shooting can be erratic, and though the draft picks are a sweetener I would have preferred Kendall Marshall to stay.

Marshall seemed a reasonable decision maker and at 22 certainly had upside, but three didn’t go into two and Marshall packed his bags and headed to the Milwaukee. The best off-season signing was that of Byron Scott as head coach returning to where he played for more than a decade. He is an experienced hand who has dealt with pressure before, but must be given time to bring along a very raw and under-developed squad.

Surplus to requirements and the biggest elephant in the room down at La-La Land is the 40-year-old oft-injured point guard Steve Nash. He is set to suck up almost $10 million of salary cap space this coming season and with his best behind him the front office need this deal to expire. This will clear even more room for the Lakers and allow them to go hard at free agency.

Jordan Hill and Lin both take up about $9 million each, and whether they survive more than one or two years in the purple and gold will be down to immediate individual output. It’s hard to see either player being granted much leniency, and in particular Lin will be hoping to recapture his Madison Square Garden form. The remaining starter Nick Young finds himself as the only Lakers players on a long-term deal and will hold down the small forward role, but at $5 million a season it is a solid signing.

Following the disastrous 2013-14 season it was a show of faith that the likes of Ryan Kelly, Wesley Johnson and Xavier Henry were all offered short-term deals. Each received greater minutes last year and showed that while they are not of starting quality they could potentially perform serviceable roles off the bench in years to come.

Kelly and Henry, at 23, have huge upside for little risk while Johnson, a former first round selection, will keep Young on his toes. Again, keeping each to one or two year deals will ensure they stay hungry and allow the Lakers to move them on should they not progress.

They will battle the likes of Ed Davis and Robert Sacre to see who makes the grade. In reality only two or three of these players will be wearing a Lakers jersey past this season but it is likely each will be given their chance to shine.

Finally to Julius Randle. The first round selection from the recent draft will vie with Boozer for the starting role as power forward and hopefully once he finds his feet he is given the opportunity to start. While he will come up against an array of power forward stars in the Western Conference the experience will be invaluable and help develop his game quickly.

Lin, Boozer and Hill are more stop-gap solutions to keep the team quasi-competitive in the short term to ensure Scott and the front office is afforded time to put together a winning line-up for the 2015-16 season and beyond.

But if the Lakers can put up with some short-term pain then there is no reason why they can’t take another high first round pick in next season and look to land that big fish during free agency to give Bryant one last shot at another title.