For Lakers rookie Cameron Carr, the way NBA draft night fell back in June was a bit of a mixed bag. He had been projected to go as high as the lottery after a successful season in which he averaged 18.9 points at Baylor following his transfer from Tennessee. But he had a surprising draft-day slip that saw him fall all the way to No. 24. That was the bed news. The good news is that he landed with the Lakers.
Not only did he land with one of the top franchises in the NBA, but he also caught the team at a moment of transition, one that figures to offer him playing time at a much earlier stage than most rookies landing on 53-win teams. He is only 21, and the Lakers are not putting too much pressure on him, but they’ve also made clear that a rotation role is on the table for Carr.
Cameron Carr In the Mix vs. Veterans
Carr will likely be behind Quentin Grimes on the Lakers depth chart at small forward. From there, he will compete for minutes with Matisse Thybulle, Ziaire Williams and Dalton Knecht. He could easily beat out all three and be the Lakers’ seventh or eighth man.
There is one big thing he will need to continue to do in the coming weeks and months for that to happen, though: Carr will need to bulk up. He is currently listed at 6-foot-5 and 184 pounds.
As coach JJ Redick said in an interview with ESPN LA: “Cam is, you know, he’s got to get stronger, he knows that. But he is so eager for information. Eager to be coached, eager to get better. He’s been in the gym almost every day.”
Lakers Have ‘6 or 7 Wings’ That Can Play
At his press conference with Rob Pelinka this week, Redick said that there will be a competition for minutes on the wings, but that Carr will be a factor.
“We’ve got six or seven wings that have an opportunity to play,” Redick told reporters on Thursday. “We’re going to play more guys this year. We’re just naturally deeper. We have the luxury of doing that, if we’re healthy with this roster. So there’s going to be an opportunity for him. Those opportunities may be here and there, he may be part of the rotation. I haven’t made any decisions on that so far, but he’s certainly off to a great start.”
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