Many questions but few answers at Lakers media day What a strange day it was, with a smaller-than-usual group of reporters on hand to poke, prod and cajole the Lakers at their annual media day. Saturday marked the beginning of training camp, the first one since 1979 without Jerry Buss and certainly one filled with unanswerable questions in an uncomfortable row for Lakers fans. When will Kobe Bryant return? Is Pau Gasol healthy? How about Steve Nash? What's in store for Coach Mike D'Antoni? Will the Lakers even make the playoffs? They had to push themselves to get there last season, finishing 45-37 and seventh in the Western Conference only after beating Houston in the regular-season finale. That was with Dwight Howard. And Metta World Peace. If last season was a chaotic fireworks display gone awry, this season could be more like a sparkler or that little black snake with an 11-second shelf life after it's lighted. Nobody has high hopes for the Lakers. Except the Lakers themselves. Bryant, ever the optimist, still talked about winning a championship this season. It doesn't matter what anybody else is saying. That's the goal that we have," he said. Then he eventually ducked back inside the underbelly of the Lakers' training facility in El Segundo. He wouldn't be healthy enough to take part in the team's first practice. He is still recovering from a torn Achilles' tendon and has started running on a special "anti-gravity" treadmill with an air-pressure chamber that envelops his lower body and reduces his running impact. His next step will be to run on the court, but that's likely to be weeks away, not days, meaning he'll take part in very few, if any, preseason practices. Not like he needs them. But Bryant acknowledges he's not in game shape as the Lakers move closer to their season opener Oct. 29 against the Clippers. "It won't take me long to do that," he said. When I get back out there on the court, I'll be good to go. I don't think I've ever played a season where I was 100%. So, like, 78% is fine. Will 78% be enough for the Lakers? Gasol and Nash will be training-camp participants after finishing last season either injured (Nash) or on the way to a medical procedure (Gasol).