Cameron Carr was the Los Angeles Lakers first round pick this year at No. 24 overall after trading up one spot. Most mock drafts had Carr being selected just outside of the lottery and it appears his slim frame may have deterred teams from picking him.
In a situation where the Lakers need more skilled players on the perimeter, the former Baylor product definitely showcased that he is ready to help this team now. In his first Summer League, Carr demonstrated his ability to shoot, get to his spots, finish athletically and also showed defensive flashes. When reflecting on his experience this summer, the 21-year-old remains eager to learn moving forward.
“Just keep learning, keep my composure, keep level-headed,” Carr told Arion Armeniakos of The Sporting Tribune. ‘Just focus on the next thing, just don’t let it take me out of the game on the other end and keep competing and keep playing hard.”
After getting blown out in their first California Classic game, it felt like it could have been a rocky summer for the Lakers’ Summer League squad. But, they rattled off six consecutive wins before the semifinals against the Golden State Warriors and Carr believed it was a great turnaround for the team.
“Man, it was big time,” he said of his first Summer League. “I got to lean on a lot of good players that have been here a little bit. So, I’ve gotten to ask them questions, learn from them, be a sponge and of course stepping on the court with them it’s a blast. It’s fun to get to play with these guys and of course win.”
While Los Angeles did not make it to the Summer League championship game after falling to the Golden State Warriors in the semifinals, it remains a great experience for these young players like Carr to see what it is like to play in a high-pressure situation. The Lakers rookie re-emphasized that he will learn from this experience and use it moving forward in his NBA career.
“Yeah, it’s important,” Carr said. “Keep continuing to learn and grow, like I said. I can only be where my feet are right now and we just lost the game. So, just go to the drawing board, keep learning and keep growing as a player.”
Overall, Carr showed promising signs during his first Summer League. Now, the focus shifts to training camp and preparing for that opportunity because head coach JJ Redick saw what Carr can do against NBA competition. If he hopes to be a rotation piece in his rookie season, the 6’5″ guard has to carry his Summer League production into his rookie season.
Isaiah Thomas believes Cameron Carr will make big impact for Lakers
It was great to see Carr thrive in an NBA setting offensively, although he still needs to work on his defensive instincts, which will take time. But he looked comfortable and aggressive offensively whether he was on or off the ball.
Seeing his body of work in the entirety of Summer League, former two-time All-Star guard Isaiah Thomas believes Carr will make an immediate impact for the Lakers.
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