They could have easily used that salary room to get extra picks, take shots at borderline players or value deals, and used the minutes/shots to develop more talent.
The opportunity cost of that final Kobe contract was pretty large. If they had gotten lucky and had a good GM they could be closer to the 76ers/Celtics asset rich position.
The Lakers are in an okay place anyways, and given how Kupchek blew it with Deng/Mosgov later I can see viewing it as irrelevant in the end if I was a Lakers fan.