Cameron Carr is announced as a Knicks draft pick at Barclays Center
I do not think the Knicks had to keep Cameron Carr. I do think people should be clear about what they actually did. New York selected him at No. 24, then a four-team draft-night trade sent his rights to the Lakers. Carr never got a Summer League audition in New York.
The Knicks did not get Sergio De Larrea back for Carr. De Larrea, the No. 25 pick, went from the Lakers to Dallas. New York received No. 47 pick Tyler Nickel, the rights to 2024 No. 51 pick Melvin Ajinca, four future second-round picks and cash considerations. I like having a pile of assets. I also do not want people talking about this like it was one guard for another.
Carr is a 6-foot-5 scorer who put up 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists at Baylor last season. The Lakers now get to see if that translates. The Knicks chose the longer asset play instead of keeping the first-round player they had already picked.
I understand why a champion might not have a clean rotation spot for a rookie. That part makes sense. Carr is still the kind of prospect who can make this deal annoying fast if he pops in Los Angeles.
Cameron Carr shakes hands after the Knicks selected him in the NBA Draft
Cameron Carr meets Adam Silver after the draft. Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect.
The Knicks chose volume over the No. 24 pick
The appeal is obvious. Nickel, Ajinca, four future second-round picks and cash can become future trade pieces, depth or part of another move. For a team trying to run it back, that is a reasonable way to think.
My issue is not that the Knicks took the asset package. My issue would be acting surprised later if Carr looks good in a Lakers uniform. He has a much clearer chance to get noticed there than he would have in a veteran-heavy Knicks rotation.
Cameron Carr makes the Knicks’ choice worth watching
I am not calling this a disaster in July. Front offices turn picks into multiple assets all the time, and plenty of those deals work out fine.
Carr gives this one a little edge. The Knicks chose volume and flexibility over the No. 24 pick. If those assets help keep the title window open, nobody will care. If Carr becomes a real player in Los Angeles, people are going to circle back to this one.
Mentioned in this article: Cameron Carr Knicks Sergio De Larrea
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