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PHOENIX, ARIZONA – FEBRUARY 26: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers talks with Luka Doncic #77 during the second half of the NBA game at Mortgage Matchup Center on February 26, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Lakers 113-110. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Lakers made mmade draft night a lot more interesting. The Lakers reportedly moved up one spot in the 2026 NBA Draft, and the payoff was Cameron Carr.
NBA insider Brett Siegel reported on X that the Lakers acquired the No. 24 pick from the New York Knicks and used it to select Carr, the Baylor guard who was still on the board late in the first round. Siegel had posted minutes earlier that he was “a little surprised” Carr had not been taken and wrote that “someone is going to get a steal late in this draft with him.”
After the pick, Siegel added: “The Lakers have moved up one spot to #24 overall and are taking Cameron Carr. What a steal for the Lakers.”
The reaction was not limited to Siegel. Law Murray of The Athletic posted that he would “walk, not run” to take Carr, especially for “a team as bereft of athleticism as the Los Angeles Lakers.”
That is the part that makes this more than a one-pick trade. The Lakers entered the night with the No. 25 pick, but the Knicks sat directly ahead of them at No. 24. Moving up one slot protected Los Angeles from losing Carr to another team in the late first round.
Cameron Carr Gives the Lakers Athleticism and Scoring Upside
Carr’s college production makes the pick easy to understand.
The 6-foot-5 Baylor guard averaged 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists during the 2025-26 season, according to ESPN. He also shot 49.4% from the field. Sports Reference lists Carr at 37.4% from 3-point range and 80.1% from the free-throw line for the season, giving the Lakers a prospect with real scoring efficiency rather than just theoretical tools.
Erik Anderson is an award-winning sports journalist covering the NBA, MLB and NFL for Heavy.com. He also focuses on the trading card market. His work has appeared in nationally-recognized outlets including The New York Times, Associated Press , USA Today, and ESPN. More about Erik Anderson
