Considering how things have gone for the Portland Trail Blazers, it's only logical to build around Deni Avdija this summer. They have one fewer roster piece to worry about because Toumani Camara has been the perfect fit alongside the All-Star.
Avdija has been a revelation for the Blazers, giving them a reliable scorer and playmaker. Running the offense through him has proven to be an effective strategy for the team. Without him, getting points has been even more of a struggle for the squad in the 2024-25 campaign. His defense has been carped at a bit this season, although some of the criticisms have been overblown.
Camara is more than just a 3-and-D wing
With Toumani flanking Avdija, the former lottery pick doesn't really need to tap into his full potential to be a disruptive defender. Instead, he can focus on being a team defender and spending more of his energy on keeping Portland's offense humming.
An interesting development, though, is Camara's offensive evolution. In his first year with Rip City, he basically operated as a 3-and-D wing. He did it so well that he placed ninth in Defensive Player of the Year voting and shot 37.5 percent from beyond the arc, third-best on the team.
This season, the Belgian phenom has displayed a deeper bag on offense and the potential to be a more efficient 3-point shooter. He still needs to show more consistency, but his 35-point performance last month, where he shot 9-11 from three, and 30-point production that included eight threes in early February attest to his ability to be a dependable third or fourth option.
There is even an argument that the Blazers actually need to involve him more in their sets, whether as a shot-creator or off-ball threat, as they have a better winning percentage whenever he puts up at least 13 points.
Blazers' Camara acquisition was a coup
The good news is that the young forward looks up to the task of providing the club with an elite role player — or even a fringe star. To think that he was essentially a throw-in in the 2023 offseason mega-trade that brought Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks, the front office deserves credit for identifying his promising value early on.
Another stroke of genius for the Blazers is locking Camara up to an excellent deal last summer. The parties agreed to a four-year, $82 million extension, and it's safe to say given his body of work and career trajectory, his contract is bound to become an incredible steal for the franchise.
As long as he, Avdija, and the other pieces around them, particularly Donvovan Clingan and Shaedon Sharpe, can continue to work on their chemistry, they can help transform Portland into a formidable contender as early as next season.