The Los Angeles Lakers will officially begin their 2026 NBA Summer League campaign in Las Vegas on Friday night.
Recent draft picks Cameron Carr and Adou Thiero headline the roster after both showed encouraging flashes during the California Classic.
There were injury concerns heading into Las Vegas, however. Thiero missed the California Classic finale with a wrist injury, while Carr exited the same game at halftime, raising questions about the availability of the Lakers’ two young wings.
Lakers Receive Encouraging Injury Update on Draft Duo
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, both Carr and Thiero are available and expected to play in the Lakers’ Summer League opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
McMenamin added that it remains unclear how heavily either player will be used throughout the tournament.
The Orange County Register’s Benjamin Royer reported that Carr had been dealing with an infected toe, which led to the Lakers holding him out for the second half against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday.
Before exiting, Carr recorded five points, one rebound, one assist, one steal, and one block in 12 first-half minutes while shooting 2-of-7 from the field.
Despite the precautionary decision, the 21-year-old enjoyed an impressive California Classic overall.
Across three games, Carr averaged 16.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.0 assist, and 1.0 combined steal and block in just 22.4 minutes per contest.
He also shot 42.1% from the field and connected on nine of his 22 three-point attempts, good for an impressive 40.9% from beyond the arc.
His best performance came in Sunday’s double-overtime victory over the Miami Heat, when he erupted for 26 points and eight rebounds.
Those early displays have given the Lakers plenty of reason for optimism following an offseason that created greater opportunities on the wing.
LA Taking Cautious Approach With Thiero
Across two California Classic appearances, Thiero averaged 11.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 2.5 steals while shooting 31.6% from the field and going 0-for-3 from beyond the arc.
He then missed the finale as the Lakers continued to carefully manage his workload.
The second-year wing missed the entire 2025 Summer League after suffering a knee injury at Arkansas, which ultimately required surgery and delayed the start of his rookie season.
His first NBA campaign was then interrupted by multiple setbacks, including an MCL sprain, limiting both his development and his chances to establish a consistent role with the Lakers.
Much of the season was spent with the South Bay Lakers, where he continued to flash the different elements of his game.
Across 10 G League appearances, Thiero averaged 15.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.0 block while shooting an efficient 60.4% from the field.
While his explosive dunks grabbed most of the attention, he also quietly knocked down 10 of his 20 three-point attempts, offering encouraging signs that he can continue developing into a reliable 3-and-D wing.
Carr’s scoring ability and Thiero’s defensive versatility have already provided an encouraging glimpse of the Lakers’ future, with both players showing the potential to become valuable, cost-controlled contributors.
As for Summer League, head coach Ty Abbott described the handling of Carr’s and Thiero’s workloads as a “read and react” situation.
For the Lakers, the priority will be ensuring both youngsters emerge from Las Vegas healthy while continuing to build momentum heading into training camp and the preseason, with both expected to compete for rotation minutes during the 2026-27 campaign.
Lakers Get Injury Update on Draft Duo Ahead of Summer League Opener