It’s no secret the Portland Trail Blazers have an unbalanced roster. They field several guards and centers, but a noticeable lack of dependable wings and forwards. We’re yet to see how this will impact the team, and ultimately its success this season.
But one thing is clear. Toumani Camara will be asked to do a lot.
The Belgian Blazer enters the campaign with a heavier bank account after signing his 4-year, $81 million extension a year ago, but he does so with fewer froncourt friends. Both Jerami Grant
and Kris Murray played rotation minutes at forward last season; they now play for the Memphis Grizzlies.
Coach Micah Nori enters the season relying on Camara, Deni Avdija, and Sidy Cissoko with Jrue Holiday expected to see time at the forward spots. Jeremy Sochan and Micah Potter are there but neither are guaranteed to be with the Blazers on opening night. And Potter is more an undersized five, than a power forward.
A true utility player on both ends of floor, Camara played in every single Blazers game last season, while spending time at almost all five positions. He averaged 13.4 points on 37.0 percent from three, 44.0 percent from the field, 5.1 boards, 2.5 assists and 1.1 steals.
But what do things look like for him this coming season?
Defense
Camara is a proven All-NBA defensive talent, capable of guarding every position. Last season, he recorded a league-record 106 drawn offensive fouls, maintaining his elite-level stopping power without a mention in either all-defensive team.
At 6’7 with a 7’1 wingspan, Camara has the athleticism and lateral movement to be this team’s best point of attack defender. His speed and strength also make him just as effective against the other four players, regardless of their size. If the Blazers had a little more length, he’s the type of player I’d like to start next Damian Lillard at shooting guard, offering enough defense to compensate for the ageing sharpshooter’s defensive flaws.
But with Grant gone and no replicable defensive talent or size coming back in the Ja Morant deal, the 26-year-old will have more to shoulder with Avdija continuing to focus on the offensive side of the ball. It stings a little more given that aside from Holiday, the multitude of Blazers guards aren’t particularly adept at defense.
In one trade, the Blazers have gone from a defensive force to a question mark.
Cissoko will be called on more to give Camara some form of respite. But the Frenchman’s offensive limitations don’t make him playable in every circumstance and on every night.
So on defense, Camara will again need to guard the opposition’s best player, a responsibility he no doubt cherishes. Unfortunately, given the reduced defensive talent on the roster, he may need to also cover up mistakes in both the front and backcourts.
If the Blazers are somehow able to maintain their above-average defensive presence this season, much of the credit will surely go to Camara and Donovan Clingan. The effort should theoretically push Camara back into all-defensive discussion, but we know the selection for those is hardly a science.
Offense
Camara has served as one of the franchise’s most consistent three-point shooters over the past two seasons. Last year, he was able to maintain more than 37% from three while increasing his attempts from 4.6 to 7.2. He’s also someone who doesn’t need the ball in his hands to be effective on offense, which is almost a rarity on this roster. He can operate beyond the arc, in the dunker spot, and has also been known to take it to the rim and finish with force.
The key to Camara’s success on offense will be long-range shooting — a clear weakness for the Blazers last year and something the franchise failed to address over the offseason, excluding Damian Lillard’s return. Opposing defenses probably feel pretty comfortable packing the paint and cutting off driving lanes against this Blazers roster.
While the pick and roll should figure heavily into the offense this season, this roster needs to be able to hit open shots to allow Avdija, Lillard, Morant and Scoot Henderson easier approaches at the rim. To do that, Camara needs to hit open threes. Out of last season’s best 3-point shooters, three of most efficient players now represent other teams — Duop Reath, Matisse Thybulle and Grant.
That’s more pressure on Camara to get defenses to respect him. He only does that by at least maintaining his percentages on the same volume. Not an easy feat when you consider how few Blazers demand that kind of attention outside the arc, leading to defenses focusing further on Camara.
Of the Blazers eight likely rotation players, only Lillard, Camara and Holiday shot more than 36 percent from three the last season they played. That’s pretty dismal considering 36 percent is considered around the league average. While Clingan, Avdija, and Henderson might be able to nudge past that number, I’m not entirely encouraged.
Conclusion
Toumani Camara’s extension kicks in this season, earning him $18.1 million. However, you could argue that his role on this team is deserving of a lot more. Along with Donovan Clingan, he’ll be a defensive pillar that determines the team’s success on that end of the floor. On offense he’ll have to match Lillard’s three-point efficiency or better.
The Blazers’ front office didn’t do Camara any favors with their moves this summer. The team took a defensive step backward, and its shooting overall is still suspect. Camara appears ready for the challenge, but I do fear that over the course of an 82-game season, the load may be Tou much for him to handle.
Coach Micah Nori would be wise to ensure that he monitors Camara’s workload throughout the season. If they reach the postseason again, Toumani will be one of the deciding factors for how far they can go.
