Los Angeles ? After adding two of the NBA’s top players to give the Los Angeles Lakers their own version of the “Dream Team,” general manager Mitch Kupchak was a most happy man.

His joy lasted barely a day, cut short by the news that Kobe Bryant faced a felony sexual assault charge.

Now, Kupchak must wait and see what develops in a Colorado courtroom and perhaps come up with a contingency plan, although his options are limited.

Though there’s time to maneuver — training camp doesn’t start until early October — one thing’s clear: Bryant’s future and that of his team are certainly in question.

Bryant was charged Friday — one day after Karl Malone and Gary Payton were introduced as free-agent signees at a joy-filled Staples Center news conference.

Malone and Payton give the Lakers two more likely Hall of Famers (in addition to Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal) and, on paper, one of the best teams ever assembled.

Bryant and O’Neal led the Lakers to three straight NBA championships before being derailed by San Antonio in the Western Conference semifinals in May, prompting Kupchak to say: “We felt we needed help — a lot of help.”

Malone promised last week that the Bryant case wouldn’t be a distraction, but how could it not be?

A trial date could be set Aug. 6 when Bryant is expected to appear in court in Eagle County, Colo. He has said he was innocent.

Bryant’s attorneys have said a trial could last as long as six months, meaning it’s likely the 24-year-old superstar’s career will be interrupted to some degree if the case gets that far. If convicted, he faces four years to life in prison or 20 years to life on probation.

The Lakers have had little to say since the charge was filed last Friday. At the time, Kupchak said the team would wait for the judicial process to play out and continue to support Bryant and his family in the meantime.

A backcourt of Payton and Bryant would be one of the NBA’s best ever, but the backcourt of Bryant and Derek Fisher was good enough for three championships.

The Lakers might be in the market for a backup guard, but won’t have much money to offer. They are well over the salary cap and used their $4.9 million midlevel exception to sign Payton.