Outside of allowing players to find their land legs and kick the last remnants of their summer hangovers, the purpose of the NBA preseason revolves around turning the theoretical into reality.
Teams transfer offseason depth-charts, lineup configurations, and play-diagrams from whiteboards onto the hardwood for the first time. This is the state of metamorphosis where the experimentation and evaluation process can finally begin.
Although these games are ultimately still just exhibitions, there are still kernels of truth — both positive and damning — that can be revealed about the campaign ahead. The Lakers have proven no exception to this through their first three games.