LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers' recipe for rebuilding was never supposed to include lemons.
The lordly Lakers' plan was to draw majestic free-agent talent to work alongside or replace Kobe Bryant, ensuring the parade of dominant individual Lakers superstars would just march on with new coronations.
Instead, these new-look Lakers have been a sweet little lemonade stand with not-yet-global but neighborhood appeal, a place where any of the numerous fresh-faced kids can sell to you as opposed to just one magnetic, almighty Kobe.
There is no superstar here.
No one in the organization disputes that the Lakers backed into their current situation, which has been strangely refreshing.