Zwerling: Former Blazers Coach Nate McMillan Says Raymond Felton's Weight Impacted His Play

Jared Zwerling of ESPNNY.com reports that former Portland Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan opened up a bit about the impact of conditioning issues that plagued former Blazers point guard Raymond Felton during the 2011-12 season.

"I think [his weight] had a direct impact on how well he played," McMillan said. "When you're not conditioned to play, then you're going to struggle, you're going to turn the ball over. If you don't have your legs, your shot is not going to fall.

"He had picked up some weight, as he told me, and we were trying to work on him moving that weight during the season."

Felton averaged just 11.4 points and shot a meager 40.7 percent from the field for the Blazers, but McMillan positively remembers the point guard as a "competitor" and being "fearless."

McMillan acknowledged after a December 2011 training camp session that Felton was not at his goal weight.

McMillan was fired in March 2012 and has been linked to open coaching positions with the Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons in recent weeks.

Felton's New York Knicks trail the Indiana Pacers 3-1 in an Eastern Conference semifinals series. He lost more than 20 pounds before 2012 training camp.

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