Anyone who watched the 2026 NBA Playoffs could tell you the Los Angeles Lakers need much more production from their second unit. In particular, without Luka Doncic to mask the problem, the Lakers' need for reliable bench scoring got brutally exposed against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
If they were hoping to fix that with pick 25 in the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft, their best opportunity to do so pushed himself firmly out of range in the late stages of the first round. Cameron Carr boosted his stock plenty at the combine, and is now flirting with being a lottery pick.
That is a big loss for the Lakers. Lake Show Life's very own Chris Lambert identified Carr as the top name who Rob Pelinka and the front office should be eyeing. On top of the gifted size measurables allowing for a path to being a strong defender, Lambert had plenty of praise for what the Baylor baller could do on offense.
Lambert wrote, "He also combines Cameron Thomas-like shot-creation and elite floor spacing with monster-like size. If the Lakers are looking to pair Luka Doncic with a scoring guard in the draft, Carr has to be the pick."
Cameron Carr has propelled himself far ahead of the Lakers' 25th pick
The numbers really sell the point of how good Carr's scoring is, and how valuable it could be to have that presence off the bench. The Baylor Bear averaged 18.9 points per game with shooting splits of 49-37-80 during this past NCAA season. His true shooting percentage was 62.2.
Alas, teams and draft experts seem to have caught up to just how good Carr is. Tankathon has Carr going 15th overall in the upcoming draft. Fansided's Christopher Kline had him sneaking into the lottery in his latest mock at 14. David Cobb of CBS Sports even had him slotted at 13.
Carr was once a guy you could find in the 20s range in mock drafts. Those days appear to be gone, and it is understandable why.
Coupling the combine results with the strong season at Baylor, Carr's jump up draft boards should not be a shock. There are always risers the closer the date gets to the NBA Draft, and the talented scoring wing is one of this year's clear recipients.
If the Lakers still wanted to look at him as a guy who can boost their second unit, it will cost them. Moving up from 25 to late in the lottery would not be easy, especially for a team who are low on assets.
Despite being a great fit to address the need for bench scoring, and even the desire for more two-way help, Carr has put himself out of reach. The Lakers will need to look elsewhere to solve their second-unit shortcomings.
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