Jerami Grant made waves at Media Day when he informed reporters that he doesn't expect to come off the bench in 2025-26. It was an admittedly puzzling statement considering how clear of a direction the Portland Trail Blazers appear to be moving in with their starting lineup.
For as alarming as Grant's comments may be, the Trail Blazers have an obvious reason to decline his request to start: Toumani Camara.
Grant, 31, has ample reason to believe he should be a starter in the NBA. He's the prototypical 3-and-D forward, capable of playing high-level defense and shooting with relative efficiency while adding a measure of scoring versatility to the mix.
2024-25 was admittedly a down year for Grant, but injuries played a direct role in his quality of play—and he still managed to shoot 36.5 percent from beyond the arc.
For as valuable as his contributions may be, the Trail Blazers have the luxury of looking elsewhere. Grant would start as either the 3 or the 4 in Portland, and Deni Avdija offers more as a playmaker while emulating the veteran's value as a scorer.
That leaves the debate for the other forward spot as a matter of prioritizing Camara or Grant, and Portland has every reason to start the younger of the two for both short-term and long-term reasons.
Toumani Camara is a better starter for the Blazers than Jerami Grant
Camara and Grant are similar in two key areas: Value as a floor-spacing forward and the impact they're capable of making on defense. In a sense, they're the 3-and-D forwards the Trail Blazers need to complement Avdija and his downhill tendencies.
Camara is still just 25 years of age, however, thus implying that there's significant untapped potential for the Trail Blazers to explore.
Camara has already made resounding progress in two NBA seasons. As a 23-year-old rookie in 2023-24, he averaged 7.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.8 three-point field goals made per game on .450/.337/.758 shooting.
Camara took his game to a new level in just his second season, averaging 11.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.7 three-point field goals made per game on .458/.375/.722 shooting.
Playing time is an obvious factor to consider, as Camara's minutes increased from 24.8 in 2023-24 to 32.7 in 2024-25. He earned the opportunity, however, and provided statistical improvements on a per-36 basis to justify the investment.
Camara increased his production by 1.6 points, 0.7 assists, 0.2 steals, and 0.7 three-point field goals per 36 minutes to supplement his increase in efficiency by 3.8 percent on three-point field goals.
Toumani Camara still has untapped potential for Blazers to explore
Grant can admittedly claim to offer much of what Camara does, with added versatility as a scorer. The Trail Blazers are soon to define a new hierarchy on the offensive end of the floor, however, with the likes of Avdija, Scoot Henderson, and Shaedon Sharpe soon to reveal if they can be featured options.
Clearing the path for their development must be a priority, and that makes Camara a player who must continue to start, as he did in all 78 of his appearances in 2024-25.
As a third-year player, Camara has already become one of the best defenders in the NBA. He's capable of guarding up in size with his near 7'1" wingspan, all the while possessing the athleticism and discipline to take on perimeter players with relative ease through rotations or assignments.
That was reflected when Camara was selected to the All-Defensive Second Team in 2024-25—the type of honor one simply doesn't respond to by benching a player.
With Avdija locked in as an offensive hub of sorts, Camara and Grant becomes a debate that doesn't necessarily warrant much thought. Grant is by no means a bad player, but Camara is younger and more efficient than him with potential to further explore.
Grant should undoubtedly receive significant playing time as the Trail Blazers' likely sixth man, but Avdija and Camara are the forward combination of the future in Portland—and the future is now.