Portland Trail Blazers mascot Blaze the Trail Cat greets forward Toumani Camara. Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images

Why Toumani Camara is the Key to Blazers Success

Originally posted on Portland Trail Blazers on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Mar 19, 2026 9:00 AM ET

The Portland Trail Blazers have been high on Toumani Camara ever since they traded for him in the Damian Lillard blockbuster deal.

Camara was a throw-in at the time after being selected as a second-round pick by the Phoenix Suns, who swapped out Deandre Ayton for Jusuf Nurkic. However, he has emerged as a massive part of what the Blazers are building. Blazers acting head coach Tiago Splitter heeded some advice for Camara in hopes that he would grow on the offensive side of the ball.

"Just be himself. Shoot the ball, don't force anything. He doesn't need to force; he's a guy that can shoot with his feet set and drive the ball when you have to drive it. Just try to make the game simple and let the game come to him," Splitter said.

"I think he did that tonight. He was smart with the cuts, with the shots that he had. When he's focused on defense, and that's his main job, everything offensively is going to be in the right place."

Camara's Growth Could Determine How Far Blazers Go

Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Camara came into the league with an NBA-ready defense. It just was a matter of whether or not the offense would reach that same level.

In each of his three years in the league, Camara has seen an increase in his scoring average, which is a positive sign for what's to come. Splitter believes his offensive growth has come from letting his defense do the heavy lifting.

"I think you gotta feed your energy those guys from defense in your gap stops, and then everything is gonna feel better offensively. I think Toumani did the right thing; he didn't force anything. He waited for the ball to get to him, and then he finished," Splitter said.

The Blazers awarded Camara with a four-year, $82 million contract extension at the beginning of the season, which will keep him with the Blazers until the end of the 2029-30 campaign. The Blazers expect to grow into a contender during these years and they believe Camara has the chops to be one of the elite 3-and-D specialists in the league as he goes into his prime.

Camara and the Blazers are back in action tomorrow when they take on the Minnesota Timberwolves. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. PT inside the Target Center in Minneapolis. Fans can watch the game on Rip City Sports Network or stream it on NBA League Pass.

This article first appeared on Portland Trail Blazers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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