The Los Angeles Lakers have traded up to select Baylor Bears wing Cameron Carr at No. 24 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft. It was a statement pick by a Lakers team that finally realized the importance of drafting players who can contribute quality on both ends of the floor.
In an NBA that's defined in large part by teams' ability to develop talent that can complement their stars, the Lakers learned from their mistakes and finally invested in a 3-and-D wing.
It's far from an exaggeration to say that Los Angeles has disregarded the NBA Draft in recent years. In 2025-26, Dalton Knecht became the first Lakers draftee to complete two full seasons with the team since Lonzo Ball finished his second year in 2018-19.
Unfortunately, much as Ball was traded shortly thereafter, Knecht has already fallen out of the rotation. There's still time to recover, but Los Angeles' run of draft misfires is seemingly continuing.
Knecht also represents the Lakers' flawed ideology in regard to how they've drafted players with limited picks available to them. With Knecht in 2024 and Adou Thiero in 2025, Los Angeles effectively drafted for value on one end of the floor and invested in the optimistic belief that they can address their well-documented weaknesses.
With Carr, however, the Lakers prioritized a player who has proven capable of stealing the show on both ends of the floor at a defensive-minded program.
Cameron Carr is the two-way wing Lakers desperately needed
Carr, who will turn 22 in November, is one of the most jaw-dropping athletes in his class. He stands at 6'4.5" without shoes, boasts an unfathomable 7'0.75" wingspan, and nearly jumped out of the gym with a 42.5" max vertical leap at the 2026 NBA Draft Combine.
Carr puts all of those physical attributes to use on both ends of the floor, as he comfortably plays above the rim and thrives as a defensive playmaker who can pick players up at multiple positions.
In addition to being explosive vertically, Carr has the lateral quickness to develop into a lockdown on-ball defender. He needs to fill out a thin 184-pound frame, but even if he's simply an elite athlete with a long wingspan, he can be disruptive on defense.
Carr also has the tools to be an impact player on the offensive end of the floor, with the deep shooting range, aerial ability, and respectable level of shot creation proficiency to excel.
Cameron Carr represents a long-awaited effort to draft ambitiously
Carr finished the 2025-26 season with averages of 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.3 blocks, 0.9 steals, and 2.3 three-point field goals made per game. He did so while shooting efficiently in every phase, posting a slash line of .494/.374/.801.
Beyond the numbers, Carr proved capable of shooting well beyond NBA range, which should help him play alongside Luka Doncic and, assuming he re-signs, Austin Reaves fairly quickly.
The question is whether or not Carr will be able to create for himself against NBA defenders. Even if he maxes out as a 3-and-D wing, however, the Lakers have landed a player who can contribute on both ends of the floor.
The Lakers still need veterans to round out the rotation, but drafting Carr just got Rob Pelinka closer to NBA Draft redemption after years of neglect.
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