Charania: Blazers To Sign N.C. State F Richard Howell To Training Camp Deal

Shams Charania of RealGM.com reports that the Portland Trail Blazers will sign North Carolina State forward Richard Howell to a training camp contract.

Former North Carolina State standout Richard Howell has agreed to sign a partially guaranteed contract with the Portland Trail Blazers, his agent Joel Bell told RealGM.

Howell had been bought out from his French team and flew to the States to sign his new deal on Friday.

Howell posted this message on Twitter on Thursday.

France was a great experience, Portland Trailblazers have given me a huge opportunity.#allineedisashot #BEARDGANG

Update (Friday): The Blazers officially announced the signing in a statement.

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed rookie forward Richard Howell, it was announced today by General Manager Neil Olshey.

Howell, 22, averaged 12.7 points (51.8% FG, 63.3% FT), 10.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 31.6 minutes his senior 2012-13 season at North Carolina State. A First Team All-ACC selection last season, Howell ranks fifth all-time in school history with 1,055 rebounds.

He appeared in three games for the Denver Nuggets 2013 NBA Summer League entry in Las Vegas, averaging 1.7 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.30 blocked shots and 10.7 minutes.

With the addition of Howell (6-8, 257), the Trail Blazers roster stands at 19 players.

Howell, 22, averaged 12.7 points and 10.9 rebounds as a senior last season. He went undrafted in the 2013 Draft and elected to sign a deal with BCM Gravelines Dunkerque in France in July. He was also linked to the Denver Nuggets earlier this summer.

Scott Schroeder included Howell on a list of this year's top undrafted talent for SB Nation.

It has to be disappointing to Wolfpack fans that neither Howell or the aforementioned [C.J.] Leslie was able to get drafted on Thursday night. Both have a good chance of showing up in training camp, though, as the undersized Howell's NBA strength and ability to rebound (10.9 rebounds this season, 3.7 on the offensive end) should make him a prime candidate.

FayObserver.com reported this quote from Howell's college coach.

"Someone might say, if Richard was 6-9, he might be able to (play in the NBA)," N.C. State coach Mark Gottfried said during Howell's senior season. "I don't care if he's 6-2, he does it every night. I look around the NBA at Kenneth Faried, Reggie Evans and Chuck Hayes. Richard Howell, you know what you're going to get with him."

The Blazers have also signed Oregon forward E.J. Singler and Mississippi State guard Dee Bost to training camp deals as they eye talent for their D-League affiliate, the Idaho Stampede.

PS Thanks to EngineerScotty in the FanShots.

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