Cameron Carr Continues White-Hot NBA Start at Summer League

On Sunday, Lakers’ guard Cameron Carr continued his early Summer League dominance, again looking like one of the best players on a talented floor.

To begin his quasi-NBA career, Carr played across from Warriors’ lottery pick Yaxel Lendeborg, who got off to a hot start with 19 points on 100% shooting. While Carr couldn’t quite match that output, he did manage 19 points on 5-for-11 shooting from beyond the arc.

Sunday against the Heat, Carr doubled down on his scoring success. He finished as the leading scorer in the contest, helping the Lakers hang around and ultimately grab a double-overtime win with 26 points on 7-for-16 shooting. He also added eight rebounds and an assist.

The Lakers ultimately narrowly grabbed the win, moving to 1-1 at the California Classic. Carr’s efforts willed them back into the game down the stretch. With just minutes remaining in the game, he would narrow the lead with tough shot-making, largely from beyond the arc. He also did damage at the free throw line, finishing 4-for-5.

Regardless of team success in Summer League, Lakers fans are now dreaming of immediate production from Carr at the NBA level. He fits the current iteration of the purple and gold like a glove, offering two necessary skills alongside superstar Luka Doncic: shooting and athleticism.

Carr’s 3-point shooting should be an automatic plus alongside Doncic, and his high-flying athleticism should lend itself to some interior play-finish as well. At Baylor, Carr was able to carve his way to efficiency at-rim attempts with cutting, dunker-spot finishes and more.

Summer League success doesn’t always carry over into the NBA, though it’s hard not to see Carr translating next to Doncic in some capacity. Right now, he’s not playing with gravitational forces, and has still been able to get his shots off. Doncic and Austin Reaves should be able to create ample opportunities for Carr.

Carr being a Year 1 contributor would certainly be a boon for the Lakers considering their roster construction, too, as the team is currently front-loaded in the starting lineup.

The wing certainly isn't the perfect prospect, still needing to improve in a vareity of areas. His thinner frame hasn't yet lended itself to elite defense at the professional level, even accounting for his above-average positional shot-blocking. Additionally, he can't yet create his own shot with consistency, though the Lakers' play-makers should mitigate that worry.

The Lakers next face off against the Spurs at 5:30 p.m. CT from Chase Center, with Carr looking to continue his early-career success.

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