There's no way around it: the NBA is a star dominated league more than any other sport, and being a destination team is a major advantage. Thank God there's at least a salary cap. However, the reality is that LA could have an empty roster, and be in a better position than half the league. Building through the draft relies heavily on luck. SA got extremely lucky to have Tim Duncan. Without him, who knows what the last 15 seasons look like. CLE with LeBron. How many other teams tanked and never rose to contender status? Many. On the other hand, LA, NYC, CHI will always have a shot whenever they have money to spend.
Having some assets helps, but LA's #1 asset is its free agency appeal, period. It's why Shaq went there, and why they got Kobe (after all, they don't trade Divac if Shaq doesn't come over). Here's hoping Durant doesn't follow suit.