Lakers may have perfect LeBron James replacement hiding on roster, not named Jonathan Kuminga

The Los Angeles Lakers are not finished making moves despite an active offseason. Los Angeles opened free agency by trading for Walker Kessler before adding several new pieces around franchise star Luka Doncic.

The current roster has been built to allow Doncic to run the offense while the supporting cast complements his game. Even after those additions, the Lakers remain interested in acquiring Jonathan Kuminga.

“There is mutual free agent interest between Jonathan Kuminga and the Lakers, per Jovan Buha. Los Angeles continues to work behind the scenes to secure Kuminga’s commitment as their new wing addition,” NBA reporter Evan Sidery wrote.

While the organization continues to pursue Kuminga, the Lakers may already have a promising long-term wing on the roster. Rookie Cam Carr has been one of the team's biggest standouts during Summer League.

“My pick is Cam Carr over there with the Lakers. He's a hooper. He can play, he can score, he can make plays, he can shoot the ball at a high level. I think he's gonna have a real big impact on the Lakers. Just because he could space the floor, he can catch and shoot, and he can put the ball on the ground and make a play for others. And that's always good when you're a young guard coming to this league,” Isaiah Thomas said.

Carr is an exceptionally athletic wing with tremendous upside. While he may not be ready to take on a major role as a rookie, he has the potential to develop into a starter as early as his second season. The Lakers are searching for a long-term solution on the wing following LeBron James' departure, and Carr is beginning to look like a legitimate candidate to fill that role.

“In this setting, you want to give [Carr] an opportunity to play confident and kind of play free, but at the same time you put him in situations that he's going to be in when he's with the Lakers and he's coming off of the bench or playing spot minutes,” Lakers Summer League coach Ty Abbott said.

The Lakers appear eager to give Carr opportunities to earn minutes, and there is growing belief that he could develop quickly. Like Dalton Knecht during his rookie season, Carr has shown the ability to knock down perimeter shots, while also possessing the athleticism to attack the basket and create offense.

The Lakers are not going to find a direct replacement for James, but they may be able to replace his role with a player who can develop into a long-term starter. Carr has shown enough promise to suggest the Lakers may not have to rely solely on acquiring Kuminga to address the wing position. If his development continues, Los Angeles may have found a cornerstone wing for the future through the draft.

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