In the 2011-2012 NBA season, Raymond Felton would have a very tough year with the Portland Trailblazers. Felton was out of shape and performed poorly under some expectations by the Trailblazers fan base. Averaging a career low 11.4 points per game, Felton struggled to score. He was very poorly recognized as the same player that put up great numbers with the Knicks the year before. His season would end with the Blazers wanting to get rid of him in the offseason.
What to Expect
The expectations for Felton in New York will be about the same in Portland if not steeper. Felton is expected to do the same things he did with the Knicks when he played here two years ago. His performance in New York was really solid. He was a scorer, but he was also able to get Amare Stoudemire involved. This season he will likely have to work Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler into the mix. He will have many responsibilities when it comes to the offensive end, but he has proven that he can be successful in New York.
His attitude this offseason has been to shut up the critics. Right now the critics are right about him because the Knicks aren’t playing. This season Felton is out to beat his critics and I hope he does.
The Knicks need him just to be a guy who can work Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire into a force. When he was with the Knicks previously, he was able to be a force on both ends. His defense was better then expected and he was a brute force on the offensive end.
This season Felton should find himself around the 15 points range with about 7 assists. If he plays his cards right he could be a double double guy. His production with the starters is very important for the team. Felton is 28 years old and he is still a very young guy who can get the job done. This season will come down to if Felton can get the two stars to mesh. If he can do that the Knicks really will be tough to beat.
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