Trail Blazers News: Contracts of 2 Young Portland Players Fully Guaranteed Saturday

This dynamic duo is in it for the long haul. Or, at least, all of 2024-25.

Mar 27, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray (5) shoots layup shot against Portland Trail Blazers forward Kris Murray (8), Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe (19), and Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara (33) during the second quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-USA TODAY Sports / Jordan Godfree-USA TODAY Sports

Two young Portland Trail Blazers role players will be sticking around for a good long while. Or, at least, for all of the 2024-25 NBA season.

According to Keith Smith of Spotrac, the non-guaranteed deals of forwards Toumani Camara and Jabari Walker became fully locked-in on Saturday. This was something of a no-brainer decision. Both young players have plenty of upside, and on a rebuilding squad like Portland, should get major minutes on the hardwood.

Camara was selected with the No. 52 overall pick out of Dayton in the 2023 NBA Draft. During his rookie season, he averaged 7.5 points while slashing .450/.337/.758, 4.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.5 blocks. Camara started a majority of his contests (49 of 70) for the 21-61 Trail Blazers.

A 6-foot-9 combo forward, Walker was selected with the No. 57 overall pick, near the end of the 2022 NBA Draft out of Colorado, following a two-year stint that included an All-Pac-12 Team berth. He's the son of former 10-year journeyman power forward Samaki Walker, who won a title with the 2001-02 Los Angeles Lakers. The third-year big man enjoyed a breakout 2023-24 season run, averaging 8.9 points on a .460/.295/.754 slash line, 7.1 rebounds, 1.0 dimes, and 0.6 swipes a night across his 72 healthy games (23 starts).

Neither Walker nor Camara is necessarily seen as a talent with All-Star upside, but both had promising-enough early runs with Portland that it behooves the Trail Blazers front office to give them an extended look on their rookie-scale salaries next season.

Portland's most important young prospects at present are lottery picks Donovan Clingan (the No. 7 selection out of the University of Connecticut this summer), point guard Scoot Henderson (the No. 3 pick in 2023 from the G League Ignite), and shooting guard Shaedon Sharpe (the No. 7 pick out of Kentucky in 2022).

More Trail Blazers: Clippers, Portland to Square Off in Former NBA Market for Preseason Game