Might as well come out and say it.

Say what?

The Lakers have the look of a three-time champion.

Great. Slurp away.

They do, actually. I know that LeBron James(notes) is coming into his own and that the Nuggets are in their prime and that the East has all sorts of fitful contenders ready to step up (no Nets or 76er-like foils this time around for Los Angeles), but the Los Angeles' mix of potential on offense and defense has me thinking they can do this again in 2010, and 2011.

I'd go further, honestly, but I wouldn't mind keeping some credibility.

Here's the deal, though. Kobe Bryant(notes) can't give in to his all-on-me instincts, Phil Jackson has to remain the coach, Andrew Bynum(notes) and Jordan Farmar(notes) have to keep improving at the rate the 2007-08 season suggested, and the team needs to pay the luxury tax.

Pay it again. Pay it for Lamar Odom(notes), and Trevor Ariza(notes). This isn't an either/or proposition. You have to bring them both back.

Though we've spent a while on the Lakers' look, it will be much simpler than Orlando's turn. It comes down to retaining both Odom and Ariza, two players who are appropriately valued by the media, and by other teams. The Lakers paid the tax last year, they have a few expiring contracts (Adam Morrison(notes), Derek Fisher(notes); as if they'd trade the latter) for 2009-10 that could be packaged for an upgrade at point guard, but by and large any chance at sustaining the championship run will have to take its cue from internal development.

Odom might have to play the martyr here. Though his skill set leaves us drooling, even your parents know that he'll turn 30 in November, and that he's best suited for a team like the Lakers. His leverage isn't great.

That said, the Lakers need him, badly. Odom made Derek Fisher's awful defense in the Western Conference playoffs passable when, with Shannon Brown(notes) on the court for defense and defense only, he ran an offense that Brown hasn't been able to grasp yet. He'll, he runs it with Fisher out there.

Yes, Luke Walton(notes) can do a lot of the same things. Run the offense off the bench. Rebound and start the break. Make the pass that leads to the pass that gets credited as the assist. Occasionally post up or hit three-pointers. Luke can do it all, and cheaper. Love Luke. Love Lamar, more. He's just better.

And all Ariza does is play lockdown defense, create turnovers, and hit three-pointers at an ever-improving rate. He's not much for driving, or the in-between game, as the Magic exposed during the Finals. But while you might not recall him missing a series of pull-up jumpers during the championship round, you surely recall Ariza hitting three-pointer after three-pointer after three-pointer.

And you have to bring him back. Have to. He may only play D and hit threes, but you need that. On both ends. Up to seven, maybe eight million. Beat the offer, bring him back.

You know why, Buss family? Because you're going to be playing into June. Deep into June, every year. And you're going to make that money back. And this team, as presently constructed, is special. Three-peat, special. Maybe more.

I'm not giddy. I'm not a Laker fan. I didn't get too much (or, any) sun while in Los Angeles last week. I just know greatness when I see it. And even with Kobe and Lamar in their 30s, lots of tread on Kobe's rubber, and the ever-present potential for falloff, selfish play, lackadaisical play, ennui, earthquake, whatever ... this is a special, special team.

And you keep special teams together. At any price. And especially when players like Ariza and Odom want to stay in town, and like the arrangement Phil Jackson has created. They're both lanky forwards, they're completely different, and they both work. On both ends. The Lakers could be top three in offensive and defensive efficiency next year. That would mean 70 wins, or so.

To get there, you have to bring them both back, and pay the luxury tax again.

And then you have to sit back, and wait for June to roll around again. I don't toss this stuff out there, lightly. It's not my money, but June is pretty special to me, and to us all. And I want to see Ariza and Odom there, every June, trading fours.

Make it happen, Dr. Buss.