Transcript: Blazers G Raymond Felton Talks Re-Signing In Portland, Improving His Shooting

by Ben Golliver on Jan 9, 2012 10:12 PM PST in News

Portland Trail Blazers point guard Raymond Felton joined Blazers Broadcasting's Mike Barrett, Mike Rice and Brian Wheeler for a brief interview on a Monday night episode of Blazers Courtside. Video here.

(Note: Wheeler is now on Twitter here.)

During the interview, Felton reiterated a desire to re-sign with the Blazers when he becomes a free agent this summer.

"The way they welcomed me into this city and into this organization, it doesn't get no better," Felton said. "I definitely want to be here for the years coming."

Felton, 27, is in the final year of a 2-year contract worth $15.8 million signed with the New York Knicks during the summer of 2010 after he spent his first five seasons with the Charlotte Bobcats. He was traded to the Denver Nuggets in advance of last season's trade deadline and then to the Blazers on the night of the 2011 NBA Draft.

"[Portland] is a place that has inquired about me before, when I was with other teams. Just to know that a team wants you and respects and understands what you bring to the game, what you can bring to their team and their organization it kind of gives you a warm feeling. I've been through a lot these last couple of years. Being in Charlotte, not signing back there. Going to New York, then getting traded from New York to Denver in the same year. Now being in Portland."

Felton is averaging 10.4 points, 6.8 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game in eight appearances so far this season. He's shooting 34.8 percent from the field and 12.0 percent from deep.

He said that improvement in his shooting numbers will come with time.

"I mean that's something I'm not really worried about," Felton said. "Trust me, I've been frustrated. As long as we win, all that stuff will take care of itself later on. It's still early in the season for me to stress out. I'm not really worried about that but, at the same time, I go into the gym at night and get my shots, I still go through my routine, sometimes the ball just doesn't go in the hole for you. I think it will keep going. As long as I keep my confidence, which I will do, and continue to take my shots it will start falling."

-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter

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Finally

A PG I want to see stick around in Portland.

by travis13 on Jan 9, 2012 10:24 PM PST reply actions 2 recs

As long as he evens out his ppg and shooting

Percentage to where it was for the knicks. An average of 20 something points and 11-13 assists. Hopefully he works out the kinks

Formally known as: My_name_a_rudy

by Blaze_that_trail on Jan 9, 2012 10:53 PM PST via mobile up reply actions

As some have pointed out

If the season had begun traditionally, with the amount of games played (including preseason, of course) we’d be at day 3 or 4 for most teams. Certainly nothing is even close to average right now, but I expect that will all come with games. Felton will almost certainly go off for a big scoring night, and his numbers begin to average out.

I know less than half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.

by haildablazer on Jan 9, 2012 11:27 PM PST up reply actions

so basically all star numbers?

I’ll be happy with 15 ppg and 8 assists thats plenty to keep us winning as long as we have LA, wallace and mathews scoring

by Kazper on Jan 10, 2012 9:26 AM PST up reply actions

He's a good point guard

He won’t command a ton on the free agent market either, making him easier to re-sign.

by jamon51 on Jan 9, 2012 10:24 PM PST via Android app reply actions

3-25 is...deplorable. 45% denver, 32% nyk, career 32%

OSU '06
GForce Crash Wallace FTW!

by TyboOSU on Jan 9, 2012 10:29 PM PST via mobile reply actions

I am holding on to the hope that the following is true:

He said that improvement in his shooting numbers will come with time.

Because the following is already true:

He’s shooting 34.8 percent from the field and 12.0 percent from deep.

I just wish he would settle down and not play so recklessly. He looks like he is so desperate to be great, that he forces every move he makes, like he thinks he can make it happen by sheer force of will. I think he needs to let it happen, and not try to force it to happen.

LET THE LAMONSTER ERA BEGIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by LaMarvelous on Jan 9, 2012 10:32 PM PST reply actions

I'm not worried, do you remember how poorly shooting mathews started with us last year?

and he ended up being our highest percentage 3pt shooter at the end of the year.

by Kazper on Jan 10, 2012 9:28 AM PST up reply actions

Shooting has clearly been the attribute most effected by the shortened training camp/longer off-season

guys just don’t have the legs.

"Brandon Roy has done this before."

by sabonis11 on Jan 9, 2012 10:52 PM PST reply actions

what were the preseason over/unders for his ppg and apg?

those are looking like locks, especially the ppg

"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'

by sammymohawk on Jan 9, 2012 10:58 PM PST reply actions

oh wow that photo

Sigh...

by eyeotiger on Jan 9, 2012 11:16 PM PST reply actions

I think he's one of those guys that just looks heavy

Honestly, who here thinks they could beat Felton right now in Suicide Sprints?

I know less than half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.

by haildablazer on Jan 9, 2012 11:28 PM PST up reply actions 3 recs

I don't see many good options for the Blazers other than re-signing Felton.

Neither Nolan Smith nor Armon Johnson is ready for prime time, and I’m not holding my breath that Deron Williams is going to sign with the Blazers. There also aren’t many good PG options coming in the next draft. The guy most likely to fall to where the Blazers are drafting would be Kendall Marshall, but he plays a slow, half court style ala Andre Miller, which is not a good fit for our current group of players. The best bet is to resign Felton for a few years and wait and see if any better opportunities present itself down the road.

by rhaegar on Jan 9, 2012 11:17 PM PST reply actions

I agree

It is unlikely Blazers can find something better, but it does not hurt to try first.

by tyeforshee on Jan 9, 2012 11:19 PM PST up reply actions

completely agree, nobody out there at the moment, give him a few more years and keep looking

and a guy that does play this style but is very very young is josiah turner of arizona… keep an eye on him if he continues to develop in college.

by Kazper on Jan 10, 2012 9:30 AM PST up reply actions

Hopefully the Blazers don't have their eyes set on re-signing Felton and nothing else.

The Blazers should look at other options as well.

If it is at all possible for the Blazers to upgrade the Point guard position this offseason they should consider it.

The team should take some looks at Steve Nash, and throw Deron Williams and Russell Westbrook large contracts just for the hell of it.

In reality the Blazers will probably end up settling for re-signing Felton because of the lack of other available options available, let’s just hope his shot improves.

by tyeforshee on Jan 9, 2012 11:18 PM PST reply actions

Potential UFA PG's in summer 2012:

*Kirk Hinrich
*Jannero Pargo
*Ramon Sessions (player option)
*Jason Kidd
*Jason Terry
*Andre Miller
*Goran Dragic
*Mo Williams (player option)
*Derek Fisher
*Eddie House
*Keyon Dooling
*Beno Udrih (p. option)
*Jordan Farmar
*Deron Williams
*Chris Paul (p. option)
*Chauncy Billups
*Royal Ivey
*Nate Robinson
*Jameer Nelson (p. option)
*Steve Nash

Law of Logical Argument
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.

by blacknoiseNW on Jan 10, 2012 12:01 AM PST up reply actions

I see Mo Williams as one of the better options in that group....

CP3 and DWill just aren’t happening. I would love to see Nash passing to this group but man, he’s getting old (as is Kidd, Fisher, Billups, Miller)…Dragic is young but probably a career backup as is most on that list. Nelson is probably not an upgrade over Felton. What’s your choice out of that group?

by clinchmobb on Jan 10, 2012 9:11 AM PST up reply actions

Paul is signing his player option, thats part of the deal of goign to the clips

by Kazper on Jan 10, 2012 9:33 AM PST up reply actions

they can't throw big money at those players

if they want to resign wallace, and still afford the good team we have, we can’t max out those players. Plus I doubt those players want to even come here.

Out of curiosity, which would you rather see:
Deron/russel, LA, mathews, scrub SF, scrub Center
or
Felton, LA, Mathews, Wallace, Scrub center

by Kazper on Jan 10, 2012 9:32 AM PST up reply actions