With the season set to tip off on Thursday, TI previews OKC Thunder backup point guard Raymond Felton, specifically what to expect from him this year.
Prior to picking up Paul George and Carmelo Anthony, the Oklahoma City Thunder made a move to add more depth to its weak bench in the form of veteran Raymond Felton.
The 33-year-old signed to the veteran minimum for one season: $2.3 million. If nothing else Felton should be a veteran presence on Oklahoma City’s youthful bench.
Felton has seen the best and the worst of times in his 12-year NBA career. Once upon a time, he was among the better role player point guards with the Knicks in 2011. He averaged 17.1 points and 9 assists per game in New York and remained a consistent player before hitting a bump in the road three years later.
In February of 2014, Felton was arrested for attempted criminal possession of a weapon – his career began to descend. He was traded to Dallas four months later and sustained a high-ankle sprain in his first game with the Mavericks. Felton went on to be the starting point guard for the Mavs before joining the Clippers after his second season in Dallas.
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New year, new Felton
Since hitting rock bottom three years ago, Felton has actually been a solid option as a backup point guard. His 6.7 points and 2.4 assists don’t exactly jump off the stat sheet, but he rarely turns the ball over and has been healthy the past two seasons. Felton played in 80 games in back-to-back seasons after spraining his ankle in 2014 with Dallas. He averaged just one turnover a game last year with the Clips.
Depth has been a knock on Oklahoma City for several years, so adding a veteran to a minimum deal won’t hurt in the long run. The addition of George and Anthony will lead to fewer shots for everyone, but the Thunder are going to make a push to win the West. It’s going to be more of a team effort than people may think.
As many championship teams have proved it in the past, it takes players like Raymond Felton to hold his own for 10-20 minutes a game to help get wins down the stretch.
Felton is the backup to Russell Westbrook and will likely be sharing minutes with Alex Abrines and Terrance Ferguson. Both will benefit from his veteran presence, but neither will be ready for the Playoffs like Felton.
Expectations
Going into the 2017-18 campaign, Thunder fans shouldn’t expect Felton to return to his prime and be a candidate for Sixth Man of the Year. What can be expected of Felton is for him to be a reliable option off the bench for coach Billy Donovan.
Much like Derek Fisher did for the Thunder at the end of his career, Felton can run the offense and distribute the ball. He’ll also knock down open shots when given the opportunity. He shot 43 percent from the field last season and 31 percent from 3-point range, which is the most accurate he’s been since the 2010-11 season in Denver.
Worst case scenario, Felton brings a veteran presence and isn’t tied down to a long-term deal.