It’s no secret that the New Orleans Pelicans are looking to get into the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft, possibly even into the lottery. If Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver succeed in this venture, they need to target Baylor wing Cameron Carr.
According to Michael Scott of HoopsHype, the Pelicans are believed to be targeting a specific player in the top 10 of the draft. Admittedly, if this is true, the top 10 may be a little high for Carr, who, up until recently, was considered a mid-first-round prospect.
In ESPN’s latest mock draft, they have Carr going 18th to the Charlotte Hornets but admit he is getting looks for as high as a late lottery pick.
Without knowing exactly who the Pelicans are targeting, I want to make the case for them drafting Carr.
Baylor’s Cameron Carr is a high upside, explosive wing
Carr is a 6-foot-4.5 (barefoot),184 pounds, junior out of Baylor with a 7-foot-0.75 wingspan. Derek Parker of SI describes Carr as an “elite 3-and-D upside on the wing at the NBA level, with his major strengths being his combination of physical tools and athleticism, 3-point shooting, off-ball scoring and defensive upside.”
If the Pelicans come out of the draft on June 23rd with a player who has “elite 3-and-D upside,” I would be thrilled.
My assumption has been and continues to be that if Dumars and Weaver find a way to trade back into the lottery, they are focusing on a rebuild. And if they are focusing on a rebuild, they need to think about who they want to put around last year’s first-round picks, Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen.
While we don’t know who is currently on the roster that would be involved in a trade, Herb Jones is one possibility. It pains me to say this because I am a big Herb Jones fan, but if the Pelicans want to focus on rebuilding, they should take advantage of Jones’ high trade value now.
Jeremiah Fears is very clearly the Pelicans’ point guard of the future, but drafting Carr would give them an explosive athlete who can shoot the three and start alongside Fears.
In his junior year at Baylor, Carr averaged 18.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while shooting 37.4 percent from three-point range. He also showed defensive upside with 1.3 blocks and just under 1 steal per game.
Carr showed off his skills in one of the NBA Draft Combine’s showcase games. Carr scored 30 points on 6 of 12 shooting from beyond the arc. He also grabbed seven rebounds and blocked two shots.
While Carr isn’t the only prospect who would be a great addition for the Pelicans on draft day, his tools and upside align with those of the younger players already with the Pelicans.
This, of course, could all be for naught if the Pelicans don’t trade back into the first round, but there is enough buzz around the idea that it’s fun to at least think about.
If the Pelicans can trade back into the first round, Cameron Carr should be at the top of their wish list.
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