It’s still early in the offseason for the Los Angeles Lakers, and they have big plans for the weeks to come. Now, more than ever, they must prove to their star point guard, Luka Doncic, that they can put him in a position to win, and that means building the roster around his game.
So far, while GM Rob Pelinka is likely satisfied with his moves, the Lakers are being described as one of the early losers of the summer. Specifically, one NBA scout flamed their draft selection this year (Cameron Carr), claiming he does not address the Lakers’ needs.
“Probably the Lakers moving up one spot for Cameron Carr,” the scout told ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel. “How does he fit into what they need? Luka (Doncic) has been pleading for a big man, and with several on the board, they go out and add another off-ball guard who isn’t known for being a passer and has tunnel vision at times? That pick didn’t really make sense to me whatsoever.”
The Lakers traded one spot up just to draft Carr, a 6’5″ combo guard who averaged 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game on 49.4% shooting and 37.4% shooting from three this past season. For Pelinka, Carr might make sense due to his ability to score and stretch the floor. That’s not to mention that Carr was expected to go much sooner in the draft, making him a steal at the 24th pick.
The problem is, the Lakers really need a center right now, and Carr hardly helps in that category. In fact, there were still some big men available for Pelinka to draft, including Tarris Reed Jr., Chris Cenac Jr., and Koa Peat. Any one of those players would have made a better fit than Carr, but the Lakers seemingly weren’t convinced.
Now, the pressure is on to find a viable center option by other means, but it could prove easier said than done. This year, the market is modest, at best, with the best center options being Mitchell Robinson, Robert Williams III, and Nikola Vucevic. Other top choices are restricted free agents, including Mark Williams, Jalen Duren, and Walker Kessler. Deandre Ayton will also become a free agent if he opts out this summer, but the Lakers would look to replace him even if he opted in.
As it stands, the best route to find a new, reliable big man for Luka Doncic is via trade. Players like Daniel Gafford or Jarrett Allen would make ideal pairings with the Slovenian superstar, but it’s unknown if either is available in trade talks. For now, the Lakers must continue their search and look for an opportunity to improve after an uneventful draft.
With Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic locked in for the foreseeable future, the Lakers are set to be contenders for years, but getting over the hump will require smart roster building and careful decision-making on multiple fronts. Practically, that means listening to Doncic’s advice and pairing with him a big man who can dominate the paint and set the tone on the defensive end.
