The Portland Trail Blazers got a huge return after in exchange for Damian Lillard. While many will focus on the draft picks, they also got an impressive rookie.
Portland will have a new look next season, revitalizing their frontcourt by trading for Deandre Ayton and Robert Williams. The front office also added veteran guard Malcolm Brogdon as well as three first-round picks and two additional first-round pick swaps.
Dayton’s Toumani Camara, the 52nd overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, was widely considered more of an afterthought. But perhaps, like Portland’s 2022 second-round pick Jabari Walker, he will exceed expectations.
This is not the first time we have written about Camara. Here was our last scouting report on the second-round pick:
“He performed well at the 2023 NBA Draft Combine and his lane agility (10.7 seconds) ranked in the 92nd percentile among all participants since 2000, via Stadium Speak.
Camara recorded 38 dunks last season, per Bart Torvik, which ranked fifth-best among all collegiate players drafted. The forward also shot 72.0 percent at the rim, which was third-best among collegiate players drafted as well.
When he played at Dayton, he also showed a willingness to do the little things. For example, he averaged 0.15 off-ball screens per offensive chance. That ranked third-most among all drafted players, via Stats Perform.”
Although his jumper wasn’t falling during the NBA 2K24 Summer League, he showcased some impressive flashes while on the court.
He played four games with the Suns and reached double-digit scoring figures each time, even notching 20 points in two of the performances.
Suns rookie, Toumani Camara with the big two-hand slam off the steal 💪
Watch PHX/MIA in the #NBA2KSummerLeague on NBA TV! pic.twitter.com/cebg9OO7V2
— NBA (@NBA) July 10, 2023
The former Dayton standout is once again playing well now that he is on the Trail Blazers. Camara is averaging 1.53 points per possession, per Synergy, which ranks in the 97th percentile so far during the preseason.
He is impressive in the open court, connecting on all three of his 3-pointers in transition. The forward is 5-for-8 (62.5 percent) on his jumpers and 3-for-4 (75.0 percent) at the rim, including two dunks.
He also has a strong defensive presence, recording two blocks and one steal against the Jazz on Oct. 14:
𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙚𝙚𝙚𝙚𝙚𝙚𝙚𝙚𝙚𝙚𝙨𝙝 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/Oxxp8sPnUV
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) October 15, 2023
Here is what Portland head coach Chauncey Billups has said about Camara:
“There are so many things to love about (him),” Billups said. “The thing that stands out to me is his toughness. He don’t quit on no play. It could be a breakaway layup (or) somebody coming downhill at him at a disadvantage, he don’t care. He is fearless and is a competitor. That’s what I love most about him. … When you put him out there, he is going to play his butt off.”
Camara will have an opportunity to fight for minutes in Portland’s rotation, and based on how he has played so far, he could even play an important role on the Trail Blazers next season.
Don’t be surprised if, as Tom Haberstroh noted, Camara develops a similar reputation to what Walker Kessler did after the Rudy Gobert trade last year.
Portland and Camara will close out the preseason with one final exhibition game against the Phoenix Suns, the franchise that drafted and then eventually traded the former Dayton forward.
