The Los Angeles Lakers’ bench managed just seven points in Friday’s 112-95 loss to the Golden State Warriors. Help may finally be on the way.
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“Lakers rookie Cameron Carr is cleared to play Sunday. Williams remains questionable; Thiero is out,” reported ESPN’s Dave McMenamin on Saturday. It’s a brilliant way for the Lakers to start the month.
Carr strained his right oblique during the preseason and missed the team’s first six games. He hasn’t played since the Lakers’ second preseason game, but now he can make his NBA debut Sunday against the Toronto Raptors at Crypto.com Arena.
The news was a welcome boost after one of the Lakers’ worst losses of the young season, and fans were quick to celebrate.
“LETS GOOOOO DEMON HOME,” one fan declared in celebration, ready to see Cameron Carr make a difference in his first regular game wearing a Lakers’ jersey.
The excitement is there because Carr has been one of the Lakers’ most anticipated rookies since draft night. The New York Knicks took him No. 24 overall in June, and the Lakers traded up one spot, sending the No. 25 pick to New York, to land him. He barely played at Tennessee before transferring to Baylor, where he broke out with 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.
For many fans, the timing couldn’t be better. “Finally. Need some scoring from bench,” one wrote after the Warriors loss.
Scoring is exactly what Carr has shown so far. At the California Classic in Summer League, he put up 26 points and eight rebounds in a sudden-death overtime win over the Miami Heat. In the preseason, the 21-year-old averaged 12.0 points, 1.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 2.0 steals before the injury. The Lakers already signed Collin Sexton to a two-year, $19 million deal this summer to add scoring off the bench, and fans are hoping Carr can give that group another boost.
Some think he will be doing more than just scoring.
“Watch him turn into our best player off the bench I wouldn’t be shocked tbh,” said yet another fan, hoping to see the best of the rookie.
His best game so far came against the Sacramento Kings in the preseason, when he scored 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting with three rebounds, two assists and two steals in a 127-103 win.
McMenamin also revealed that Ziaire Williams’ injury status is currently in question due to a left foot injury. A fan couldn’t help but give Carr the props over Williams, saying, “Finally. He needs 15 min at a minimum. S–t I would start him if Williams can’t go.”
Williams has missed the last two games with a left foot injury, so there could be minutes available.
According to some, it isn’t just scoring that Carr brings to the table. “Definitely need Cameron Carr ball handling and play making talent,” one fan wrote.
Carr’s game has been built mostly on scoring and shooting so far, with 2.6 assists per game in his breakout season at Baylor, so his playmaking is something to watch as he gets NBA minutes.
The entire team can’t always rely just on Luka Doncic’s enormous scoring power. The bench needs a young and explosive player and Carr might just be it.
Cameron Carr’s chemistry with Luka Doncic has previously shown promise too. His corner-scoring style and ability to cut behind the defenders make him a great option for Doncic to rely on. One fan knew just that. “Luka right hand man let’s get it.”
The claim is backed by general manager Rob Pelinka’s statement during the preseason.
Cameron Carr might just be the missing piece for the Lakers’ bench
According to Pelinka, Doncic was looking for Carr, who was “knocking down corner 3s and had a couple of back cut lobs,” which were perfect to raise Doncic’s assists in a pick-up game back in September 2026.
The question now is if JJ Redick gives him minutes or not. Before training camp, Redick said that the expectation from Carr was to earn rotation minutes as a rookie. He also explained why the Lakers took time with his return.
“We needed him to be able to get through a full practice, so that’s probably a very important step,” Redick said. “Obviously he was able to do some level of conditioning because it was an upper body injury. But want to make sure he’s able to take hits and able to be in shape.”
To get there, the Lakers briefly assigned Carr to their G League affiliate, the Coachella Valley Lakers, on Monday, where he practiced before being recalled.
That being said, while Cameron Carr is in, Adou Thiero is still out. The player has not been seen this regular season so far, as he’s dealing with persistent knee issues. The player had undergone surgery on the same knee in 2025, so the Lakers might be cautious about his recovery.