I also don't think it's out of the question that Jordan Farmar could get some spot minutes, with Lamar Odom now a starter, the second unit down a primary ball handler, and neither Vujacic nor Brown considered a choice option along those lines (although given how he's played lately, the same could be said about Farmar).  One of the big reasons Brown was able to bump Farmar out of the rotation- beyond simply outplaying him- was that with LO rejoining the mob, he and Walton were able to run the O, which allowed Brown to play off ball without sacrificing fluidity.  Between LO now starting and Walton's situation, that luxury becomes tougher to come by.  This can be remedied by playing Kobe and LO even more with the second unit, but like I said earlier, that could also leave them weary.  

Walton out an extended period could also, believe it or not, become an issue for certain defensive matchups. Luke tends to be more effective than Trevor Ariza against some of the burlier wing players the Lakers may face (in particular, Carmelo Anthony).  TA is obviously a much better overall defender, but he's not as strong as Luke, which makes him easier to post up. 

In any event, "No Luke Walton = No title" feels like something of a stretch.  But I do think he'll be missed, so hopefully, it's a return sooner rather than later. 

AK