Before a draft pick was ever made, NBA commissioner Adam Silver laid out why this day was important for every franchise.
“Every pick matters in the chase to become an NBA champion, and that pursuit begins tonight.”
For the Lakers, patience was key for this draft. After waiting hours, anticipation turned into action for the Lakers as they moved up one spot to the No. 24 pick to select Cameron Carr.
It’s always hard to tell what franchises are thinking. During the draft, gathering trustworthy intel becomes
a Herculean effort. No longer are teams’ draft workouts touted, and it becomes difficult to understand their goal for each draft.
That’s why tonight’s pick should make Lakers fans happy. Perhaps Carr will turn into a quality selection, becoming a rotation player or even an All-Star. He could also very well be a bust who doesn’t amount to much.
Regardless of his fate, the Lakers’ selection of him is a step in the right direction. It aligns with what Lakers President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka said during his exit interview.
“The archetype of the roster we want is going to be retrofitted around Luka [Dončić] and the things he needs,” Pelinka said. “Clearly, he’s that leader and player for the future that we want to build the right way around.”
What Luka needs, outside a top center, are players who can hit shots and apply pressure on the rim. Carr fits that description.
In his sole season at Baylor, he averaged 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. Importantly, Carr shot 37.4% from deep and did so on high volume, averaging 6.1 shots from beyond the arc each contest.
As a dunker, Carr will instantly make the Lakers more explosive. Similar to Adou Thiero, Carr has some dunks that will drop your jaw.
Carr also has size and is more than willing to defend. He averaged 2.2 stocks per game. He has good natural instincts and can gamble well on defense.
Given that the Lakers were 22nd in rejections with just 4.3 per game during the regular season, they need an injection of players who can go out there and contest against the league’s best finishers.
During the playoffs, the Lakers’ lack of athletic playmakers became painfully obvious. The team simply couldn’t keep up with the Thunder’s athleticism. It felt as though OKC won all the 50/50 balls and could beat LA not only on the scoreboard, but in the margins with their athleticism, size and depth.
The selection of Carr acknowledges that the franchise is aware of its weaknesses and is working to address them. The last time Lakers head coach JJ Redick talked to the media, he made it sound simple what kind of players the team needs.
“Luke [Kennard] is a great example,” Redick said during his exit interview. “He’s a guy that can dribble, pass, and shoot. I think because of injuries, there were times that we didn’t have enough of that. We’ve got to be better being able to dribble, pass and shoot.”
Carr fits that archetype, and the Lakers didn’t allow anything to get in their way of acquiring him. When the moment came, they paid the Knicks and moved up in the draft to get their guy.
As in life, in sports, you want a franchise’s words to align with its actions. To start this offseason, the Lakers have not contradicted themselves.
They mentioned wanting to get players who can be triple threats, and they acquired one with Carr. There is a lot left to figure out, and the Lakers are far from done with moves this summer.
But this was a good way to begin what is supposed to be a huge offseason for the purple and gold.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
