It's easy to understand how superstar Luka Doncic will impact the Los Angeles Lakers, now and in the future. Seeing how important rookie Cameron Carr's play could swing the fortunes of the franchise requires a little more imagination. But the reality is that the No. 24 overall pick in last year's draft could turn into a massive swing piece for L.A.'s chances of emerging into a legitimate title contender this year.
Those might seem like heavy expectations to put on a 21-year-old who has yet to play a minute of NBA basketball. Carr burst onto the college scene at Baylor last year after two relatively anonymous seasons at Tennessee. His highlight dunks caught the attention of pro scouts, but his ability to shoot the ball from 3 really solidified his status as a potential first-round pick.
The Lakers drafted Carr with the hope that he can emerge as a legitimate starting-caliber wing to join their triumvirate of Doncic, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler in their new-look starting five. Carr joins a crowded group, as the likes of Zaire Williams, Jake LaRavia, Matisse Thybulle and Quentin Grimes will give him significant competition to earn rotation minutes.
But Carr's intrigue as a high-ceiling prospect might make him the most interesting of the Lakers' wing options. There are two concrete ways in which the former Baylor star can give Los Angeles a major boost as soon as this season.
Why Cameron Carr could emerge as a starter for the Lakers
The most straightforward way Carr can help this team is to defy the odds and become a quality rookie starter for a team capable of making a deep playoff run. That will require him to build on the solid shooting he showed during his collegiate career. He made 37 percent of his shots behind the arc last season on reasonable volume.
Los Angeles needs him to become a true bomber from deep if they want to reach their full offensive potential. Luka's gravity should give Carr great looks as a wing shooter. If he can up his percentage into something close to 40 percent on a heavy diet of corner 3s, it could turn him into a massive weapon for the Lakers.
That's a big ask for a rookie, but it's not an impossible dream for a player with Carr's athletic gifts. Becoming a borderline elite shooter with a solid effort on the defensive end could turn Carr into one of the best rookies in the NBA.
Flashing potential could turn Carr into a trade chip for the Lakers
It's easy to envision a scenario where the Lakers look to make an in-season trade to acquire another player or players to help their current stars win games immediately. Carr might need multiple seasons to develop into that kind of piece for Los Angeles.
That's why seeing him flash big-time potential could also help the Lakers. Teams that view themselves as several years away from title contention could be interested in trading for Carr as a high-ceiling prospect who can develop with them on that sort of timeline.
The Lakers could be interested in flipping Carr for a veteran who lacks that sort of ceiling but possesses a higher floor as a starter who can help them right away. That type of trade carries a lot of risk for a Los Angeles team that lacks long-term trade assets, but they cannot afford to waste a year of Doncic's prime.
What will the Lakers do with Cameron Carr?
The most likely path forward for the Lakers will be to hold on to Carr with the hopes that he can blossom into a high-quality, cost-controlled wing who can help them over the long haul. That likely means he will get rotation minutes this year without the pressure of becoming a starter as a rookie. That isn't the most exciting path forward for Lakers fans, but it's the most logical for a franchise trying to balance short-term and long-term goals.
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