but being friends ain't a prerequisite otherwise nobdody would have played in LA for the past however many years.

I can tell you who offline if you really need to know.

The Lakers are gonna be so far over the tax that it's hard to see Buss doing it (plus there's zero left for anyone else, it would make Miami's squad around those three look like All-Stars) but on the other hand I don't see them going into the season with just Bynum or even without assurances from Howard he's gonna pull a Melo.

Because this move on its own doesn't make them a title team.

The next move (Socks & Scraps for Howard) makes it a reign of dominance.