EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — That was fast.

The Lakers’ off-season came and went more rapidly than any other in the team's history — the by-product of winning the championship in the longest NBA season ever.

A mere 71 days have passed since L.A. last played, but the league waits for nobody as it tries to get back on schedule after a lengthy COVID-19 delay interrupted last season.

The Lakers start anew Tuesday against the Clippers, and all you need to know is LeBron James’ initial reaction on social media when he heard the NBA planned such a short off-season: He posted the facepalm emoji.

If anyone deserved more time off, it was James. The soon-to-be 36-year-old was a delight to watch in the playoffs, blowing past defenders and dropping perfectly placed dimes on the way to winning the Finals MVP award. Of greater importance, James helped win the 17th NBA championship for the franchise he joined two years earlier.

The quick off-season may not sit well, but the stellar news for him — and the Lakers — came with the stroke of a pen earlier this month. Anthony Davis signed a five-year contract to stay in L.A. after being a force on offense and a major disruption on defense for Lakers opponents.

Davis, 27, was nothing short of spectacular in his first season with the team, finishing second for the Defensive Player of the Year award and then dominating in the playoffs alongside James. He saved his best for the last round, averaging 33 points in the first two Finals games while pushing the Lakers to a 2-0 lead that proved to be insurmountable.

Lakers Coach Frank Vogel will likely work in plenty of down time for his two stars, visiting the “load management” mantra (A.K.A. rest) that has become superfluous in NBA circles the last few years.

James will presumably sit out a handful of games throughout the season after his shortest off-season ever. Davis, despite being almost a decade younger than James, will surely get his share of down time as well, though NBA teams have been told they’re not allowed to sit healthy players during high-profile, national TV games or during road games unless there are “unusual circumstances.”

Filed away in the "rich get richer" category, the Lakers acquired plenty of help for James and Davis when they miss games — and also when they don’t. Despite the off-season lasting roughly 10 minutes, they made a flurry of moves that made them a better team on paper than last season. Of course, the transition from paper to hardwood is often the hard part.

The Lakers surprised the NBA by signing Montrezl Harrell away from the Clippers with a very equitable two-year, $19-million deal that gave them a small-ball center with an incomparable motor who will impact games, whether it’s the bright-light setting of opening night against his former team or a ho-hum mid-season game in Detroit, Cleveland, Charlotte — take your pick.

The Lakers also added Dennis Schröder in a savvy trade that barely nicked them up, thanks to the low cost of Danny Green and the 28th pick in this year’s draft. Schröder led all NBA reserves in scoring last season and, of equal importance, should ease James’ massive burden as the Lakers’ chief playmaker.

Score another one for a Lakers' front office led by Rob Pelinka, the team's vice president of basketball operations. For good measure, Pelinka added a pair of veterans who offer perimeter defense (Wesley Matthews), steady play in the post (Marc Gasol), and outside shooting (both Matthews and Gasol).

Champions, however, rarely go unscathed. The Lakers lost veterans who undeniably helped them: Rajon Rondo, who played well when he wasn’t injured, and their two-headed center approach of Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee.

Returning young players Kyle Kuzma, Alex Caruso, and pre-season sensation Talen Horton-Tucker will get plenty of opportunities when the veterans sit out.

In the bigger picture, the NBA season faces its share of unpredictability while coronavirus flares across the nation. The league restarted last season after a four-month COVID-19 hiatus, when 22 teams descended upon Orlando in the so-called "Bubble," a practically non-permeable campus with three on-site arenas.

There are no plans for a bubble this season as of now. Teams will travel to and from NBA cities as usual, but the normalcy ends there. The league will play 72 games instead of 82, and many will be inside empty arenas. Staples Center will not have fans for the foreseeable future.

If the herky-jerky NFL season is an accurate guideline, there could be postponed games if players, coaches, or staffers fall ill with COVID-19.

The Lakers persevered through so much last season to eventually tie Boston (finally) for the most NBA championships. They are favored to win the title again this season — a tough ask in a sport where back-to-back champions come along only occasionally.

But with James, Davis, and a cadre of new talent, not many will bet against them. James will likely have the final word, as usual, for those that do.

Mike Bresnahan is the Lakers analyst for Spectrum SportsNet.