Projecting LeBron James, Lakers Stars' Ceilings and Floors for 2023

The Los Angeles Lakers will carry realistic championship hopes into the 2023-24 NBA season.

Whether those dreams become reality will hinge largely on the play of the Purple and Gold's stars.

Yes, the Lakers have done a good job of building depth since the calendar flipped to 2023, but those role players won't dictate the direction of this campaign. L.A.'s elites will determine that, so let's help set expectations by establishing ceilings and floors for the club's biggest stars.

Ceiling

When Davis is healthy and fully assertive, he can dominate at a level few others can match. He is one of the top defenders in the game, and he has enough in his offensive bag to be the primary scoring option for long stretches.

Because he has battled injuries often, and because he shares the spotlight with (at least) one other star (LeBron James), it's hard to picture Davis forcing his way into the MVP race, even in a best-case scenario. But if the plays 60 games, a number he's only cleared in one of the past four seasons, he could force his way back onto the All-Star and All-NBA teams.

Floor

Injuries have played a substantial role in Davis' NBA journey to this point. They could become even more prominent as he advances deeper into his 30s. It's absolutely possible he watches more games than he plays this season—something he did in 2021-22.

He'll still be productive when he plays, but he can get passive on the offensive end, so his scoring output could conceivably land closer to 20 points than 25. If he is more of a support player than a co-star, he'll be an afterthought in All-Star discussions, and the Lakers won't crack the heavyweight contender ranks.

Ceiling

Take as many trips around the hardwood as James has, and the goal moves from adding skills to simply maintaining the ones you have. With his 39th birthday looming in December, age-related decline is a worry, but he has defied logic to this point, so why can't he continue producing as if he's still in his prime?

He still stuffs a stat sheet like few others—one of two players to average 28 points, eight rebounds and six assists last season—and, beyond the sands of time, nothing suggests that's about to change. Unless his absences pile up, he could be an All-NBA selection yet again and, if the Lakers are wildly successful, post a top-five finish in MVP voting.

Floor

James spent much of his career appearing invulnerable to injury. But his invincibility started to wear off once he got to L.A., and at this point of his career, it's less a matter of whether he will miss time but how many games he'll lose.

There's a scenario in which he doesn't crack 50 games next season. There's another in which his field-goal percentage dips below 50 and he has trouble keeping his three-point connection rate north of 30. He is too talented to suffer a steep decline, but he'll suffer a noticeable step-back one of these seasons, and it could be this one.

Ceiling

Reaves spent his first two seasons obliterating even the most optimistic expectations. Well, the bar has now been raised to an All-Star level, and he could once again outperform the hype.

He was basically unguardable after the All-Star break last season, then he aced his first postseason as a third option and then he spent his offseason dazzling with Team USA at the FIBA World Cup. A breakout season that's felt around the league could be in the cards. It's possible he cracks an All-Star roster and then shows up on an All-NBA team, too.

Floor

Player development isn't always linear. That means even though Reaves' trajectory is an arrow pointing straight up, that isn't necessarily how things will play out. His production might plateau. His numbers could even regress, at least from those post-All-Star levels.

He'll be a bigger part of opponents' game plans. He'll feel the heat of the spotlight more than ever. He could spend a lot of time as L.A.'s top option if his 30-something co-stars encounter more injury issues. A lot of things could happen that would slice into his efficiency, limit the increase of his volume and generally dim his short-term outlook.