Lakers’ free agency question: Midlevel exception whopper or bargain role players?

LOS ANGELES — The clock eventually will hit 3 p.m. PT Friday and all the back-channel conversations, the prediction models and speculation will converge into action.

Teams will change. Players will move. Money will be spent. Dream rosters will get built. Hope will sprout.

It’s hard to know exactly how matters will play out. Separating rumor from fact this time of year is almost as difficult as building a championship team. And things can change in a blink (i.e. James Harden). But we have an informed idea as to how it could end up looking for the Lakers as they try to build on their appearance in the Western Conference finals.

Here are the big questions:

— Will the Lakers use the full midlevel exception? This