Toumani Camara Injury Status For Blazers vs Kings

Will Portland's best defender suit up against Sacramento on Thursday?

Feb 6, 2025; Portland, Oregon, USA: Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (11) and Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara (33) battle for control of a rebound during the second half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Will Portland Trail Blazers combo forward Toumani Camara suit up against the Sacramento Kings in a surprisingly critical battle of play-in tournament hopefuls on Thursday night?

Sacramento, which has gone 2-8 across its final 10 bouts, has dropped its last four consecutive games and currently sits a precarious 0.5 games ahead of the 35-38 Phoenix Suns.

At 32-41, Portland is just three games behind Phoenix (and the No. 11-seeded Dallas Mavericks, who are also 35-38 on the year) for a shot at the West's No. 10 seed.

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The Trail Blazers surely didn't start the year with postseason expectations, but they remain firmly in the hunt — although with just nine games left on their schedule and a lot of real estate needed to catch up on Phoenix and Dallas, their chances at making any kind of play-in tournament noise are getting slimmer.

Per the Trail Blazers' official PR team, Camara is considered questionable to play through a sore left foot.

INJURY REPORT 3/27 @ SAC:

OUT
Deandre Ayton (L Calf Strain)
Bryce McGowens (R Rib Fracture)
Robert Williams III (L Knee Injury Mgmt)

DOUBTFUL
Jerami Grant (R Knee Tendinitis)

QUESTIONABLE
Toumani Camara (L Foot Soreness)

— Trail Blazers PR (@TrailBlazersPR) March 27, 2025

Veteran centers Deandre Ayton (left calf strain) and Robert Williams III (left knee injury management) are still shelved. Williams is out for at least the rest of the regular season after going under the knife to address the knee issue.

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Two-way shooting guard Bryce McGowens is done for the season following a right rib fracture suffered in a team practice.

Camara, 24, is a terrific defender already, and a critical part of his team's midseason turnaround into borderline competence in the Western Conference.

A DEFENSIVE MASTERCLASS PRESENTED BY TOUMANI CAMARA pic.twitter.com/GfjSn7pM8K

— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) January 31, 2025

Forward Jerami Grant, who has been the Trail Blazers' starting four this season, is doubtful to play through right knee tendinitis. The 6-foot-7 Syracuse product has been shelved since the Trail Blazers' 119-112 loss to the Detroit Pistons.

Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups has stumbled into something pretty cool in starting Deni Avdija alongside Camara as his two forwards. Avdija has been so good that, even if Billups elects to return Grant to his starting lineup whenever Grant can return, Avdija needs to remain in Billups' first five. Whether that means a Grant or Shaedon Sharpe demotion remains to be seen.

At 30, Grant is ultimately not on the timeline of young players like Camara, Avdija, Sharpe, Scoot Henderson or Donovan Clingan — but if Portland wants to trade Grant's exorbitant contract this summer, the team may want to feature him.

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For more news and notes on the Portland Trail Blazers, visit Portland Trail Blazers on SI.