ToumaniCamara

Preseason question: Will Camara’s offensive game finally stabilize? Maybe it’s unfair to dwell on what one of the best defensive players in the world can’t do, but Camara’s basketball future will so clearly be determined by what he’s able to contribute on offense. He’s already proved that he can knock down open 3s at a decent clip, but even an upswing in percentages hasn’t really changed the way opponents guard him; he’s still the man left open in the corner, deprioritized as the defense wanders away to deal with more urgent threats. So long as that’s the case, his utility on that end will rise and fall with his streaky shooting. But if Camara can hit shots consistently enough to finally tip the balance of the scouting report, the rest of his utility could snowball from there. It’s easier to drive from the weak side when opponents are closing out in a frenzy, and it clears room for the entire offense when Camara needs to be closely attended. Pulling defenders out to the perimeter could actually give him more chances to cut behind them on the baseline or crash the offensive glass—two natural strengths that are muted when opponents jam up the middle. Camara can guard almost anyone. His limitations on offense, though, make it a bit too easy for opponents to guard him with just about anyone, too.