Jim Buss said the chances of Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol opening the season with the Lakers are “very good.”

The prevailing opinion within NBA circles has been that the Lakers need to trade Gasol for two or three players who can bolster their rotation.

"I think changes are going to be made moving Pau lower to the basket,” Buss said. “We can improve that way with a change in coaching strategy rather than a change in personnel."

Buss indicated that Kobe Bryant is on board with the direction of the team.

"He's already had lunch with Mitch [Kupchak], and from what I'm hearing Kobe is pretty satisfied with this team,” Buss said. “If I heard differently from Kobe, it would put some doubt into what I was thinking.

"But I'm hearing he believes this team kept together can do something. And he's only got a short window of time remaining to win championships, so apparently he believes this group gives him the best chance to do so."