Carmelo Anthony comes out in support of Raymond Felton – NBA News
Carmelo Anthony has come out in support of the New York Knicks newly acquired point guard Raymond Felton, saying that he has a point to prove.
Anthony and Felton go way back, and first played against each other when they were 9 years old in an AAU game.
"He has a chip on his shoulder. I've been playing against Raymond since I was nine years old in AAU basketball, so he's been the same since then. He wants to prove everybody wrong. He loves to win,” said Anthony.
Felton was acquired in a sign and trade deal with the Portland Trail Blazers this summer. The Knicks were planning to re-sign breakout point guard Jeremy Lin but when the Houston Rockets gave him a back loaded three year deal worth
$25.1 million, the Knicks backed out as they were already having salary cap issues with Anthony, Tyson Chandler and Amar’e Stoudemire already signed to huge contracts.
The Knicks then turned to Felton, who played for the Knicks in the 2010-2011 season before being traded to the Denver Nuggets in a three team trade that landed Anthony in New York from Denver.
Felton had a successive stint with the Knicks in that season, averaging 17.1 points and 9 assists per game. However, his past season with the Trail Blazers was not on the same level, as Felton struggled on the court and managed
11.4 points and 6.5 assists, while shooting 41 percent from the field.
"This is a special year for him mentally. For him being traded from here, (he has) the chance to come back and prove to people what his game is about,” said Anthony.
"When (Felton) was here in New York, they were rolling. He was having an All-Star year when he was here. So, to bring him back (to New York is) an extra incentive for him,” added Anthony.
Felton has many expectations to live up to as he returns to the Big Apple, where people will compare his game to the 2010-2011 season, when he was last with the Knicks.
Felton himself realizes the opportunity he has been giving, being the playmaker for a star studded team with veteran point guard Jason Kidd to back him up and mentor him. Kidd was already signed in the offseason by the Knicks for
a three year deal. It is now up to Felton to once again make a name for himself at the guard position.
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