Los Angeles Lakers fans seem bullish on the potential of rookie guard Cameron Carr, the No. 24 pick in June's NBA draft. The team traded the rights to its No. 25 pick to get him, and he has impressive athleticism, as well as the ability to consistently hit open shots and finish strong at the rim.
While Carr has some ability to create off the dribble, it is questionable how deep that ability runs within him. Projections for how he will do in the NBA range from a strong 3-and-D player to perhaps a borderline All-Star.
If he does become a star or near-star, it will take a while for him to get to that level, given the depth the team has assembled this summer. One Lakers executive said it won't be easy for Carr to initially earn minutes, but that the 21-year-old
has the qualities to earn minutes, while laying out the ideal role for him, per Keith Smith of Spotrac.
“Super excited to have Cam. He’ll have to win his minutes, because his group is really deep. But he’s a worker, so that’ll give him a chance to play right away,” a Lakers front office executive said. “Cam did a lot off the bounce at Summer League, so that was fun to see. But early on, we’ll keep it easy for him: make your open jumpers and defend.”
Carr did struggle with his shooting during summer league play in Las Vegas last month. But Smith added that Carr "looked a little tired" and that the incoming rookie "played a lot of games in a pretty short period of time." Perhaps having the second half of this summer to prepare and recover, as well as playing with two bona fide facilitators and creators in Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, will help bring out the best in him.
He averaged 18.9 points and 5.8 assists a game while shooting 49.4% from the field and 37.4% from 3-point range last season at Baylor University. At 6-foot-5, he has a seven-foot wingspan and a 42-inch vertical leap.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers executive on what Cameron Carr's initial role will be
