Lakers head coach JJ Redick just dropped some real talk about rookie Cameron Carr, mixing high praise with a dose of “welcome to the NBA” reality during the first few days of training camp. While Lakers fans are buzzing about the new name in the mix, Redick isn’t sugarcoating the struggles any rookie faces, even as he raves about Carr’s potential.
Cameron Carr: Raw Talent Meets Rookie Growing Pains
“Cam, we see a player in Cam,” Redick declared, sounding genuinely excited. He followed that up saying, “We’re really excited about him.” That’s high praise from a first-year coach who’s been around the league. But then came the honest part: “You can also see through three days that he’s a rookie.” Redick wasn’t shy about the on-court teaching moments, recounting times he had to stop a drill or even call a timeout a minute into a scrimmage just to walk Carr through something. It’s clear the kid’s got the talent, but he’s also hitting that steep learning curve we see with so many fresh faces. The good news? Redick’s confident Carr “picks up things quick,” promising he’ll “have opportunities this year.” Getting playing time isn’t going to be easy with other wings excelling early on, but it’s a long season, and the coach believes those chances are coming.
Mystery Injuries and Ziaire Williams’ Fresh Start
On the injury front, Redick’s keeping things pretty tight-lipped, only hinting that “a couple of players were limited” and they “had to modify a couple guys” during practice. He did say “everybody did something” and that whatever the issues are, they’re “nothing they were worried about long term,” though it’s still “to be determined” if anyone misses games. They’re dialing in offensively, cleaning things up, and focusing heavily on that over the weekend before heading out.
Meanwhile, Ziaire Williams is feeling a totally different vibe this training camp. After years on teams without a clear focus on winning, he’s pumped to be with a Lakers squad that’s all about it. “This is a winning culture, a winning culture, a winning team, a team that has high standards,” Williams said, totally feeling the change of pace. He’s finding it less about basic teaching and more about diving deep into concepts and schemes, a huge switch from his time in Brooklyn, which he described as having “eight rookies.” Williams is comfortable, feels like he belongs, and is genuinely “happy where I’m at.” That’s gotta be good news for the locker room.
So what’s next for the Lakers? They’re keeping the offensive emphasis going over the weekend before they hit the road for Sacramento. It’ll be interesting to see how Carr handles the bright lights of preseason games and if any of those mystery injuries clear up by then. Every rep, every drill matters early on, especially for the new guys and those trying to prove they belong.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Silver Screen and Roll.
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