Camara agrees to four-year, $82 million extension with Blazers

Toumani Camara agreed to a four-year, $82 million contract extension with the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday, his agent said, locking up the 25-year-old forward who emerged last season as a defensive anchor for the rebuilding franchise. The deal begins next season and could keep Camara in Portland through the 2029-30 campaign.

Camara, a third-year player who was acquired by the Blazers in a 2023 trade that also brought Deandre Ayton to Portland, averaged 11.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists while playing roughly 32.7 minutes per game last season. He was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team after registering 116 steals and 50 blocks, ranking ninth in the league in total steals. The extension replaces a roughly $2.4 million team option for 2026-27, a move salary-cap analysts said represents a slight discount compared with the maximum offer he could have received.

Portland coach Chauncey Billups has praised Camara’s impact, calling him the heart of the Blazers defense. The 6-foot-7, 229-pound forward has been used across multiple defensive matchups, often guarding larger and smaller opponents in Portland’s full-court schemes. He drew a league-high 91 offensive fouls...