Second-Year Blazers Forward Emerging As Steal

Can he break out even more this season?

The Portland Trail Blazers are one of the teams around the NBA currently in a rebuilding situation. After trading away star guard Damian Lillard, Portland went down the smart route to retool themselves for the future.

The team does have a few good, young players on the roster that could end up becoming part of a consistent rotation. Portland is high on the upside of some players but has to see more growth and development on the court.

One of these players is forward Toumanu Camara, who Portland received back in the Lillard deal. At the time, he was seen as a thrown-in as part of the three-team trade but Camara ended up making a big impact for the Trail Blazers in short order.

He became one of the better defenders on the Trail Blazers, showing a willingness to take on tough defensive challenges. Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report lists Camara as the Trail Blazers' "best-kept secret" player on the roster for the upcoming season.

"Drafted by the Suns with the 22nd pick of the second round and shipped to Portland before the season started, Camara quickly emerged as the Blazers' best defensive player. At 6'8", Camara showed the ability to switch across multiple positions and ranked second among all rookies in charges drawn. He finished the season ranked in the 96th percentile in Defensive Estimated Plus/Minus, and the Blazers' defensive rating was a whopping 6.6 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor," Hughes opines.

For the season, Camara averaged 7.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. His percentage from beyond the 3-point line left something to be desired, coming in at 33.7 percent.

If Camara can consistently hit 3-point shot attempts, he will likely see even more playing time this season. The young wing grew his game a lot in a short time with Portland so there is hope that he can continue to do so.

He is 24 years old, coming in at the older side of things for a second-year player. But Camara has room for improvement in his game and Portland loves what he can bring to the table.

With Portland unlikely to be a contender again this season, there will be ample playing time for Camara to hone in on his skills. These down years for the Trail Blazers give them a chance to learn more about the younger players so they can evaluate if they will be on the roster in the coming years as the team gets better.

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