The Lakers are a few days from flying to Honolulu, an apropos time to leave behind what happened on the mainland last season.
If ashes from a pitiful 21-victory effort could be scattered over the Pacific at 35,000 feet, it would surely happen at about 5 p.m. Monday.
A year ago, almost to the day, Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak said the expectations were to "win a championship," a remark that drew plenty of dissection, if not sarcasm, as the season unrivaled unlike any other in a proud 67-year history.
He was more guarded Thursday at the team's El Segundo training facility, cognizant that the Lakers are a mishmash of old, young and somewhere in between, trying to segue seamlessly from the Kobe Bryant era to whatever awaits in 2016-17.