Is Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara a two-way player?

Just 18 months into his NBA career, Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara has established himself as an above-average, near-elite defender. His status is particularly impressive considering he was well selected in the second round and barely made Damian Lillard’s 2023 roster.

The 1.90 meter tall Belgian made his first appearance last season and secured a starting role within a few weeks thanks to his versatile defensive arsenal, which is characterized by tireless energy at the point of attack.

I could go on about the 24-year-old’s defensive abilities, but today we’ll discuss the other side of his game to assess whether he’s entitled to mutual respect as a player. A status that forces the opposing defense to at least pay attention to him.

To put this into perspective, the Blazers have actually only had four true two-way wing/forwards in the last decade – Wes Matthews Jr., Nicolas Batum, Jerami Grant and Deni Avdija. Players who wouldn’t look out of place in an All-Defensive Team discussion, while also being considered offensive assets and offering a marketable skill or two in that context.

A perspective

Gone are the days when competitive NBA teams started with defensive wingers and forwards like Andre Roberson and Tony Allen who had almost nothing to offer on the other side of the ball.

But while all modern starters can do something in this regard, there is a difference between offensive contributor and offensive asset. We can try to measure this by comparing Camara to current and former defensive-minded Blazers who carry offensive question marks.

For him to be considered an offensive threat, his season averages of 9.6 points (43.4 percent from the field (8.3 attempts) and 35.1 percent from three attempts) must be better than those listed below.

Matisse Thybulle shares Camara’s elite defensive skills, highlighted by two All-Defensive Team nominations. But considering that the Australian national representative has consistently scored three points, he is incapable of attacking. In Portland, Thybulle scored 5.9 points on 41.0 percent from the field (5.2 attempts) and 35.8 percent from three attempts.

Al-Farouq Aminu and Moe Harkless occupied the Blazers’ starting forward spots in the second half of the youth decade. The pair was primarily used to cover up the defensive deficiencies of Lillard and CJ McCollum. Their offensive impact was less black and white.

Aminu could hit the odd three-pointer when needed, but was a liability when he put the ball on the floor and was a sad source of offensive creation. In Portland, Aminu scored 9.5 points on 41.1 percent from the field (8.1 attempts) and 35.3 percent from three attempts.

Harkless may have had the tools to be an effective scorer, but he rarely put the theory into practice. With the Blazers, Harkless averaged 7.7 points on 49.1 percent from the field (6.3 attempts) and 33.0 percent from three attempts.

Evan Turner was an admirable defender who could facilitate the ball but lacked any accuracy on the field, let alone on the perimeter. As a Blazer, Turner scored 8.0 points on 44.3 percent from the field (7.2 attempts), which equated to an abysmal 27.8 percent from three attempts.

At the moment, Camara’s numbers are about on par with Aminu, which doesn’t bode well for his two-way ambitions, but…

Are there more?

Being an offensive threat is about more than just counting stats and efficiency. We should also ask:

Can he put the ball on the ground and drive to the rim?

This season, Camara is taking the ball to the rim 3.6 times per game and converting 50.0 percent of the 1.4 attempts he records on those drives. That’s an increase from last season’s 2.9 drives, which yielded 45.9 percent on the subsequent 1.2 attempts.

The Belgian’s confidence, athleticism and – to put it better – intensity have helped him transform when attacking the ring. Although he is not perfect, his grip is also tighter than last season, allowing him to reduce turnovers and improve control.

His grip is also a huge improvement over Aminu, Thybulle and Harkless.

How is he at catching and shooting?

Camara shot 33.3 percent from three, which may not look particularly impressive. But the fact that he increased his attempts from 2.2 to 3.8 speaks volumes.

The Belgian actually defies convention and posts better numbers when you combine catching and shooting with off-the-dribble attempts, currently 35.5 percent on 4.3 attempts. We should also be pleasantly surprised that his 35.3 percent over the break is just as efficient as the traditionally more accurate three-point curve, which is at 35.8 percent. All improvements compared to the overall three-point rate of 33.1 percent last season.

The numbers aren’t elite, but they’re still good enough to attract at least a little attention and keep the defenses at both forward positions out of the spotlight.

Camara’s long-range left-footed shots are a significant improvement over Turner.

Can he pass?

While the sophomore should never be asked to run an offense, he has managed to nearly double his assists compared to last season from 1.2 to 2.0 per game. Combined with his not-terrible handle, Camara can pass in traffic, distribute out of the post, and usually do so effectively, as exemplified by his 1.5 turnovers per game.

Aminu and Harkless weren’t even close to being on offense and rarely scored more than one assist per game.

What we should pay attention to

Earlier this season, the Blazers’ broadcast team suggested Jimmy Butler as a possible, if unrealistic, ceiling for Camara. Not just because of the style of play, but also because of the fact that the two both spent four years at multiple colleges where they were at the top of the defense.

Although I don’t expect six All-Star nominations for Camara, I consider Butler’s five All-Defensive Second Team nominations as a realistic reference. All the current drama aside, Butler built his career as a tenacious wing defender before showing the world he could be a premier scorer and leader deep into the NBA playoffs.

Although he is smaller than Camara, Butler’s 2008-09 Marquette teammate and former popular Blazer Wesley Matthews Jr. is a better example. Like Butler and Camara, Matthews entered the league as a defenseman who built his offensive game later. Their games are not necessarily identical, but their respective intensity is.

I’m specifically pointing to Matthews’ 2014-15 season (before the torn Achilles tendon), in which he shined on a Blazers team with talent at every position.

In 60 games this season, Matthews averaged 15.9 points on 44.8 percent shooting from the field and 38.9 percent from three, 3.7 boards and 2.3 assists. He averaged 2.7 drives per game and converted 52.4 percent of his 1.1 attempts. He also hit 38.9 percent on his 5.8 catch and shot attempts.

That’s what I want for Camara on offense – without the career-limiting injury, of course. If the Belgian can achieve such a feat over the next 18 months, he will more than qualify as a two-way player.

The jury is out right now, but he’s a lot closer than Harkless, Aminu and Turner, or what Thybulle is likely to do during the rest of his time in the Pacific Northwest.