The Portland Trail Blazers have agreed to contract extensions for two of their rising young stars. Portland has locked up fourth-year guard Shaedon Sharpe on a four-year, $90 million extension and agreed to a four-year, $82 million deal for third-year forward Toumani Camara, per ESPN.
Without reaching a deal by the Oct. 20 deadline, Sharpe would have been slated to enter restricted free agency next summer. Now he’s under contract with Portland through the 2029-30 season. Camara, meanwhile, had a team option for the 2026-27 season, but is also now on a deal with the Blazers that will take him through 2029-30.
Both Sharpe and Camara are vital pieces of Portland’s rebuild. Sharpe, 22, was the seventh pick in the 2022 draft by the Blazers despite not playing a game at Kentucky. He quickly showed his potential by averaging 9.9 points on 47.2% shooting as a rookie. By his third season, he emerged as a starter and averaged 18.5 points as part of Portland’s young, developing core.
Sharpe’s a hyper athletic guard who is dangerous when he gets downhill, and is improving as a facilitator, though there’s still plenty of room to grow in that regard. If Sharpe improves his 3-point efficiency (33% shooter in three seasons), then he’ll open up even more aspects of his offensive skillet as someone who can be a threat at all three levels. And being able to learn from guards like Jrue Holiday and Damian Lillard will only help Sharpe improve as a scorer and defender.
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By reaching a deal, Sharpe avoided a restricted free agency situation next summer, something that went poorly for a number of players this offseason — primarily Jonathan Kuminga, who played a long game of chicken with the Golden State Warriors before eventually ending his standoff by signing a two-year $45 million deal.
Sharpe’s new contract with Portland comes on the heels of the Sacramento Kings giving Keegan Murray — the No. 4 pick in the same draft — $140 million over five years. Sharpe’s been the more productive player in terms of counting stats, but Murray’s been an integral piece on a playoff team already, something Sharpe has yet to prove. While Sharpe’s deal is not as lucrative as Murray’s, it’s a solid middle ground for a player who has the potential to outplay his contract in the near future.
Camara, 25, is the perfect example of a diamond in the rough, as he was taken with the 52nd pick in the 2023 draft by the Phoenix Suns and then traded to Portland before his rookie season started. In just two seasons, he’s developed into an everyday starter and last season earned All-Defensive Second Team honors. He’s the ideal 3-and-D piece capable of defending both forward positions, and is a reliable 3-point threat, making 37.5% of his shots from beyond the arc last season. He also ranked ninth in total steals.
Both extensions could be steals for Portland as Sharpe and Camara will likely outplay their contracts if they continue to ascend. Sharpe specifically could turn into an All-Star if he continues to develop. And if players like Camara and Deni Avdija stay on an upward trajectory, the Blazers could be a sneaky play-in squad this season.