With Shaquille O'Neal's presence a memory now, the Lakers' prospects rest solely with Kobe Bryant. Noah Graham/Getty Images

Lakers fans can now breathe a sigh of relief that Kobe Bryant has decided to return. Losing Shaquille O'Neal was bad enough. Losing Shaq and Kobe (the latter to L.A.'s "other" team, the Clippers) would have been a crippling blow to the franchise.

Why did Kobe choose to stay with the Lakers? More money, for sure. Also, he no doubt felt some sense of loyalty to Lakers fans who continued to support him through his sexual assault case this past season.

As much as Bryant might have been intrigued by the Clippers' young nucleus, he had to know it would have been a risk to sign on with Donald Sterling's operation. The Clippers' owner is famous for not paying his players. Say what you want about Lakers owner Jerry Buss, but he's never been shy about opening the checkbook.

Buss, in fact, made all the right moves to keep Bryant. He recognized that Kobe wanted a chance to get out from under Shaq's giant shadow and spread his wings as a player. Buss then went out, along with GM Mitch Kupchak, and made it happen.

The Lakers probably won't be a top title contender next season. Even if they add free agent Vlade Divac or some other serviceable center, they still rank, on paper, behind the Spurs, T'wolves, Rockets and Kings in the rugged West. But at least they're a playoff team with Kobe, and with a few key player additions in years to come, they could again challenge for the NBA title.

Of course, this assumes that Bryant won't be in prison next season. There is, after all, still the small matter of his criminal trial in Colorado, which begins Aug. 27. Until Bryant walks out of court a free man, Lakers fans can't declare this latest saga over just yet.

Marty Burns covers pro basketball for SI.com.