The Los Angeles Lakers traded up to draft Cameron Carr, and Luka Doncic’s history of maximizing athletic wings should increase the excitement about the rookie. This is LA's first draft pick made for Doncic. Number 77 made a host of athletic wings better in Dallas, including Derrick Jones Jr. and PJ Washington during the Mavericks’ 2024 NBA Finals run. The Lakers hope Luka can add Carr to an already impressive list.
During his six and a half years in Dallas, Doncic turned Tim Hardaway Jr., Dorian Finney-Smith, Josh Green, Dante Exum, DJJ, and Washington into above league average shooters. That raised their ceiling and, in several cases, helped these players make millions of dollars. Luka even made Reggie Bullock a starter on a conference finalist just two years before he was out of the NBA entirely.
Josh Richardson was the one wing flop in Dallas, so Doncic doesn’t always make it happen. Number 77 has a history of maximizing athletic wings by feeding them open shots and convincing them to buy fully into their role. The Lakers will quickly need Carr to contribute, and Luka will bring the best out of him.
Cameron Carr is the type of wing Luka Doncic maximizes
Carr has length, athleticism, and shooting. The 21-year-old is far from a finished product. He made a massive shooting leap during his three college seasons, and the best is yet to come. Luka will need to do exactly what he repeatedly did in Dallas.
Finney-Smith went undrafted because of his lack of offensive game. He was a plus defender who shot just 29.5 percent from 3-point range before Doncic arrived in Dallas. His percentage increased for four straight years, including making over 39 percent in each of his final two full years playing with Luka. The Mavericks made DFS a key part of the Kyrie Irving trade in 2023. Finney-Smith went from athletic wing with potential to in-demand 3-and-D option after playing with Doncic.
Dallas drafted Green with the 18th overall pick in 2020. He played stout defense in college but struggled to make shots. He was an average 3-point shooter by year two and made 39.3 percent of his long-range attempts in his final two years with the franchise. The Mavs traded Green to Charlotte, where his production fell off, but the elite shooting remained.
Derrick Jones Jr. has steadily increased his 3-point shooting, but he really found it with the Mavericks. He shot 34.3 percent in the regular season and jumped to 36.9 percent in the playoffs. DJJ parlayed playing a key role on an NBA Finalist into a three-year, $30 million contract with the Clippers, where he has shot 35.8 percent over the first two seasons.
Tim Hardaway Jr., Reggie Bullock, Dante Exum, and PJ Washington all were plus 3-point shooters with Luka on the team and played a key role on a squad that made deep playoff runs. Each of these players has size and athleticism just like Carr. The rookie's jumper is further ahead than almost all of these players coming out of college, which should only create more hope in Los Angeles.
Cameron Carr must lock in on defense to join this list
Carr has the tools to be a plus defender, but needs to translate them to the NBA floor. He shot 37.4 percent from the 3-point range in college. That number should improve given his willingness to play off the ball and the increased floor spacing. Luka will feed him open looks, so defense must be the first-round pick's biggest improvement.
The Lakers need 3-and-D wings around Doncic, but those are difficult to acquire. Every contender searches for them, which drives up the price on the trade market. Los Angeles was wise to draft Carr, but he can’t go the way of Dalton Knecht and Jalen Hood-Schifino. Rob Pelinka’s track record is worrying, but he smartly kept Luka in mind with this pick.
DJJ was virtually a minimum player before arriving in Dallas. He became a $10 million per season option after just one with Luka. Things can happen quickly, and Carr is more NBA-ready than most rookies after three seasons of NCAA ball.
The Los Angeles Lakers wisely drafted a wing that Luka Doncic can maximize. Fans were already impressed by Carr in summer league, and this is just the beginning. Luka will have the rookie shooting over 38 percent from 3-point range and locking in on defense quickly.
Maximizing his defense, athleticism, and basketball IQ are important. Doncic will play a key role, and Carr is ready to join this list. Fans should be watching closely during training camp and expecting positive news. The 6’5 wing is the type of player number 77 brings the best out of, and the rookie is ready to hit the ground running.
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