The Los Angeles Lakers do not have a strong recent history of turning draft picks into rotational players on the roster, as only one of the team’s recent first-round picks has ever even signed an extension with the Purple and Gold.
However, despite that poor history, the Lakers’ draft fate could change with rookie Cameron Carr, whom the team selected with the 24th pick of the 2026 NBA Draft.
Carr had a strong last college season at Baylor, and though previously getting selected by the Lakers was a near-death sentence (ask Dalton Knecht and others), the athletic wing could be the one to break the trend and become a consistent contributor for Los Angeles in his first professional season.
Cameron Carr Could Break Lakers’ Poor Draft History
Though Carr has yet to play a single minute in the NBA and still doesn’t even have a guaranteed spot on the roster, there’s a good chance he could be one of the missing pieces this team needs to see success in the upcoming season in the Western Conference.
Writing for LakeShowLife.com, Maxwell Ogden believes Carr has the necessary skill set to immediately change the Lakers’ ceiling on the defensive end of the floor.
“Though the new pieces should all contribute to an improved Lakers defense, it’s rookie Cameron Carr whose defensive playmaking ability can unlock the team’s full potential,” he wrote. “Carr must also begin to tap into his on-ball potential to maximize his impact, but his work as a help defender could prove invaluable.”
In his junior season at Baylor last year, Carr averaged 18.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game.
It’s tough to say all of those numbers will translate to the NBA, but from what his tape shows, it’s clear his defensive upside could follow him to the professional ranks.
“Carr is an excellent candidate to do exactly that. He has elite physical attributes for a wing at 6’5″ with a 7’0.75″ wingspan, a 42.5″ max vertical leap, and elite agility,” he added. “He put those gifts to use in college, where he averaged 1.6 blocks and 1.0 steals per 40 minutes in 2025-26.”Beyond the numbers, Carr was the prototypical help defender in the way he could appear out of nowhere to make plays on the ball when all hope appeared to be lost.”
Lakers Rookie Poised For Firm Role Next To Luka Doncic
Also writing for LakeShowLife.com, Tyler Watts cited Luka Doncic’s history playing with wings during his time on the Dallas Mavericks as a reason why the rookie, Carr, could shine this season.
“The Los Angeles Lakers traded up to draft Cameron Carr, and Luka Doncic’s history of maximizing athletic wings should increase the excitement about the rookie. This is LA’s first draft pick made for Doncic,” he wrote about Carr. “Number 77 made a host of athletic wings better in Dallas, including Derrick Jones Jr. and PJ Washington during the Mavericks’ 2024 NBA Finals run. The Lakers hope Luka can add Carr to an already impressive list.”
The Lakers had eyes for several of those names and a few others in the trade and free agency market, but failed to land any of them.
However, if Carr can come in and be an above-average defender to start his career, he’ll be on the floor enough to also show his potential on the offensive end, which could eventually lead to a long and fruitful career. Obviously, nobody knows what he’ll look like on an NBA court, but playing with Doncic likely only raises the chances of the Lakers rookie to showcase his game.
“Carr has length, athleticism, and shooting. The 21-year-old is far from a finished product. He made a massive shooting leap during his three college seasons, and the best is yet to come. Luka will need to do exactly what he repeatedly did in Dallas,” Watts added.
“The Lakers need 3-and-D wings around Doncic, but those are difficult to acquire. Every contender searches for them, which drives up the price on the trade market. Los Angeles was wise to draft Carr, but he can’t go the way of Dalton Knecht and Jalen Hood-Schifino. Rob Pelinka’s track record is worrying, but he smartly kept Luka in mind with this pick.”
Some have criticized the Lakers for not doing enough to build around Doncic. The team’s poor draft history is also another reason fans have been frustrated with Pelinka and the front office over the past few years.
However, Carr has the chance to fix both of those qualms while also raising the floor of this roster. Still, as mentioned, it remains to be seen how he’ll play to begin the season. The tools for success are there, but it can’t be ruled out that Carr joins a long list of players whose careers have looked way different after their name was called at the draft to play in Los Angeles.
Lakers Rookie Cameron Carr Positioned To Break LA’s Cursed Draft History