Lakers’ ideal draft target is skyrocketing out of their reach after NBA Draft Combine

Baylor wing Cameron Carr has consistently been a guy mocked to the Los Angeles Lakers throughout the regular season and into the pre-draft process. Carr is an intriguing prospect who pairs incredible length with elite-level shooting, making him the perfect 3-and-D player for the Lakers, who have been searching for someone of that archetype.

Unfortunately, for Rob Pelinka and company, Carr's performance at the NBA Draft Combine may have played him out of the Lakers' No. 25 range in June's draft.

Carr transferred from Tennessee to Baylor after sustaining a thumb injury during his sophomore season, and that decision paid off immediately. At Baylor, he was given a longer leash and unlocked a side of himself the majority of the college basketball world never knew was there.

Carr averaged 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 2.2 stocks (steals + blocks) per game while shooting 37.4 percent from deep. His play earned him All-Big 12 honors, but still, it wasn't enough to have him be viewed as a lottery pick by major outlets.

However, his freakish measurements at the combine and standout performances during scrimmages against other high-level prospects may have just shot Carr to the top of most end-of-the-lottery draft boards.

Lakers just watched Cameron Carr play his way out of their range

On day one of the combine, Carr measured 6-foot-4.5 barefoot and 184 pounds, with a 7-foot-7.5 wingspan and 8-foot-8 standing reach. These measurements, along with Carr's impressive scoring profile, athletic tools, 3-point shooting, and defensive upside, are enough to have the excitement around him as a prospect rise. He wasn't done there.

During the scrimmages, Carr took over, scoring 30 points, pulling in seven rebounds, getting to the free-throw line nine times, and shooting 6-of-12 from beyond the arc.

In the scrimmage of the day, Carr's three-level scoring ability was on full display, whether it was pull-up jumpers, off-the-catch triples, or using his athleticism to create highlights in transition. Carr's full skillset was on display.

Another encouraging sign was his rebounding, as even when he wasn't in the proper position, his freakishly long arms made it easy for him to pull down boards. Out of everything Carr showed in his 30-point performance, the thing that caught my eye the most was the confidence and poise.

Oftentimes, you see prospects enter the combine with immense pressure, as it's easy to think your play can make or break where you get drafted. Carr was playing as if he were at an LA Fitness run. No rushed possession, 100 percent confidence in every shot, and playing within the flow of the game.

Over the past several years, we have seen the combine help projected mid-first-round picks jump into the lottery.

Last summer, it was Cedric Coward; in 2023, it was Jalen Williams, and this year, it looks like it may be Cameron Carr. The ridiculous measurements, freaky athleticism, 3-point shooting, and impressive scrimmage performance make him fit the same path Coward and J-Dub followed.

While this is all great news for Carr, it isn't for the Lakers. Carr embodies the exact type of 3-and-D wing you want alongside Luka Doncic. Now, with his play at the combine, it appears the dreams of stealing him with the 25th overall pick are all but dead.

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