Rob Pelinka Sees Something Different in Lakers Rookie Cameron Carr

One of the primary goals for the Los Angeles Lakers during the NBA offseason was to get younger, and they accomplished that across the board by adding several young players to a revamped squad around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

Although all the moves made in NBA free agency and through trades stole all the headlines throughout the summer, the Lakers may have struck gold in the NBA Draft, bringing in Cameron Carr.

Lakers GM Rob Pelinka Praises ‘Extraordinary Talent’ Cameron Carr

During a press conference earlier this week, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka had some high praise for Carr, who he clearly thinks highly of.

“Extraordinary talent. The basketball tools are easy to see,” Pelinka said of the Lakers rookie. “Showcased them at Baylor in a big way. We did a deep dive into him as a person, and we're really satisfied with the character and what came out in terms of the work ethic.”

Carr put on a show during the NBA Summer League while playing alongside Adou Thiero, who also played at a high level in Las Vegas.

The Baylor product showed he’s a talented scorer and shooter with length and athleticism, and that hasn’t gone unnoticed by Pelinka. The longtime Lakers general manager also sees a young player who is eager to learn.

“I think what we've seen here with Cam is he's an extraordinary athlete and an incredible shooter, but he's also a very curious and inquisitive learner,” Pelinka said.

The real question now is whether he’ll get a chance to show his potential right out of the gate in his rookie year or will he have to sit and watch, much like Thiero did last season.

JJ Redick: Cameron Carr Has an 'Opportunity' to Play Right Away

Sep 24, 2026; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick speaks to the media during a press conference at UCLA Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Head coach JJ Redick also chimed in about Carr during this press conference and let it be known that more players will see the floor during the upcoming season, which opens the door for the rookie to get some minutes during the 2026-27 campaign.

“We’re going to play more guys this year. We’re just naturally deeper,” Redick said. “We have the luxury of doing that, if we’re healthy with this roster. So there’s going to be an opportunity for him. Those opportunities may be here and there; he may be part of the rotation. I haven’t made any decisions on that so far, but he’s certainly off to a great start.”

With so many questions to be answered during training camp and the NBA preseason, Carr will be one of the players on this new-look Lakers squad looking to make an impression and show that he’s ready to contribute right away.

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