Former Dallas Mavericks point guard Raymond Felton. (Photo : Getty Images)
Eleven-year NBA veteran Raymond Felton had reached a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday after becoming a free agent this summer following his two-season stint with the Dallas Mavericks.
The 32-year-old point guard just finished the four-year, $14.8 million contract he had with the New York Knicks in the summer of 2012 which the Mavericks inherited after he was traded to Dallas in June of 2014. He became an unrestricted free agent this month and with the Mavs seemingly not planning to sign him back, the former North Carolina Tar Heel accepted the Clippers' offer for the veteran's minimum next season, according to the league's official website.
Felton, who is joining his sixth NBA team after stints with the Charlotte Hornets, Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers, Knicks, and Mavericks, averaged 9.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in 27.4 minutes per game for Dallas last season. He played 80 games and started 31 of them for head coach Rick Carlisle.
Fansided indicated that the Felton is set to "have a profound impact in Los Angeles next season as a much-needed back-up point guard" to All-Star Chris Paul, who has not had a reliable and experienced substitute in the past few seasons.
The Clippers are known for being a great regular season team, but when it comes to the playoffs they were always prematurely eliminated and had been so in humiliating fashion all the time.
LA wasted a 3-1 lead over the Houston Rockets during the 2015 playoffs while they were eliminated by the Blazers this year after going up 2-0, albeit with injuries to superstars Paul and Blake Griffin.
The report noted that the former NCAA champion "instantly brings to Los Angeles a veteran presence to help handle the high pressure situations that the Clippers are bound to find themselves in throughout the season".
Whether as a temporary starter in case Paul is out or even as his primary backup, a veteran like Felton can really set things in order for Doc Rivers' squad next season.
Felton was the fifth overall pick of the 2005 NBA Draft, selected by Charlotte, where he spent his first five seasons in the league. He had two stints with the Knicks, one in 2010-2011 and the other one for two seasons, from 2012 to 2014.
