3. The Lakers may have been in a better position to make another deal. Kupchak described the Sessions trade and the Fisher for Jordan Hill acquisition as essentially one deal. It's possible the Lakers could've taken the same approach after securing Paul. After all, the departure with Odom and Gasol would have left a void in the frontcourt. Perhaps the Lakers would've felt the same need to move Fisher because of a bloated backcourt. Or maybe the deal would've provided the momentum needed in flipping a deal involving Bynum as the centerpiece for Dwight Howard. We will never know.
4. The Lakers wouldn't have been as much on edge this season. The Lakers still would have experienced hiccups. There still would have been an adjustment period under Brown's system. The Lakers would have had to scramble in filling in the frontcourt depth lost from Gasol's and Odom's presence. And the bench, outside of any major upgrades, still would've been awful.
