NBA mailbag - Are veteran players the best additions? Ahem, looking at you, Los Angeles Lakers

Was the Los Angeles Lakers' decision to load up on players in their 30s a mistake?

After making the Russell Westbrook (33) trade last summer, the Lakers had to fill out their roster with a flotilla of former stars who signed on for the veterans minimum in the later stages of their careers. By contrast, the Miami Heat opted to acquire several younger players in a similar situation and have gotten surprisingly strong contributions from unheralded reserves Caleb Martin, Max Strus, Gabe Vincent and Omer Yurtseven.

With buyout season approaching and several more big-name veterans likely to head to contenders, this week's mailbag takes a look at whether a team's strategy of loading up on older players to fill out the bench is wise compared to a team investing in developing younger options.

Throughout the NBA season, I answer your questions about the latest, most interesting topics in basketball. You can tweet me directly at @kpelton, tweet your questions using the hashtag #peltonmailbag or email them to peltonmailbag@gmail.com.

In addition to the main question, this week's mailbag also looks at how much control teams have on how well opponents make jumpers from inside the 3-point line as well as the biggest single-player scoring runs in recent memory.

«When watching this year, it feels like teams that can surround their veterans with high-energy younger players are having a much larger impact this year than in previous years. Are the days of having veterans come and dominate the game off the bench gone? Are the Lakers a classic example where they have gone down a route with their roster that's no longer relevant?»

— Jeremy

Let's limit this question specifically to players who are signed for the minimum as free agents because