The Los Angeles Lakers continued their impressive NBA Summer League run on Tuesday, powered by another standout performance from first-round pick Cameron Carr.
After sitting out Saturday’s victory over the Dallas Mavericks with a thumb injury, Carr returned in style, once again flashing the two-way upside that could earn him rotation minutes under JJ Redick this season.
The 21-year-old poured in 23 points on 8-of-18 shooting across 29 minutes, knocking down three three-pointers while adding one rebound, two assists, and one block.
With Redick in attendance watching on, the Lakers cruised to a 99-85 victory over cross-town rivals the Los Angeles Clippers.
Lakers Rookie Cameron Carr Continues to Impress
The win improved the Lakers to a perfect 3-0 in Las Vegas after they finished 2-1 at the California Classic in San Francisco.
Carr’s latest display only strengthened the belief that Los Angeles may have landed a long-term two-way contributor in the first-round.
The former Baylor standout once again looked poised on both ends of the floor and, notably, did not commit a single turnover against the Clippers.
Through five Summer League appearances across the California Classic and Las Vegas, Carr is averaging 18.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.0 block in 25.1 minutes per game.
He is shooting 44.9% from the field and 36.1% from three-point range while attempting 7.4 shots from beyond the arc per contest.
Despite his productive offensive performances, Carr has made it clear that he believes his biggest area for growth is on the defensive end.
“I gotta be better. I gotta be a lot better defensively,” he said after last Friday’s opener. “I can get as many deflections as I want, but if you give up a straight line drive, you still can’t help anybody.”
“So I gotta be a lot better defensively, be more aware, talk and don’t be a lapse. Don’t be an area that people can go at.”
How quickly Carr earns consistent NBA minutes may ultimately depend on that side of the ball, although his 42-inch vertical leap and 7-foot-1 wingspan provide the physical foundation to develop into a high-level defender.
LA’s Supporting Cast Continues Strong Summer League
Carr was far from the only Laker to impress against the Clippers, with several young players continuing to strengthen their cases for larger roles within the organization.
Second-year forward Adou Thiero filled the stat sheet with 13 points, six rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block while shooting an efficient 5-of-6 from the field.
Chris Manon also continued his encouraging Summer League campaign, recording 17 points and 11 rebounds.
Although he shot just 5-of-14 overall, he knocked down two three-pointers, grabbed four offensive rebounds, and added two steals, once again highlighting the two-way potential that could earn him opportunities with the NBA team this season.
Meanwhile, Arthur Kaluma continued his remarkable consistency after erupting for 34 points against Dallas.
With Carr returning to the lineup, Kaluma moved back to the bench and responded with another efficient performance, scoring 15 points in 23 minutes.
The G League forward connected on 4-of-7 shots from the field, buried three three-pointers, dished out four assists, and committed just one turnover.
The Lakers will return to action on Thursday against the Chicago Bulls, led by No. 4 overall pick Caleb Wilson.
Los Angeles is now one of only four unbeaten teams remaining in Summer League.
The top four teams advance to the playoff bracket, while the remaining teams compete in consolation games, meaning the Lakers’ Summer League campaign still has plenty left to offer.
Lakers Rookie Continues to Flash Legitimate Upside at Summer League