NBA Rumors: Los Angeles Clippers Signing Raymond Felton From Dallas Mavericks

Having veteran guards on the bench is something that most NBA teams love to have. According to CBS Sports, the Los Angeles Clippers are signing Raymond Felton to a one year contract worth the minimum. The 32 year old point guard is expected to provide backup minutes behind franchise player, Chris Paul.

The expected starting back court for the Los Angeles Clippers next season consists of Chris Paul at point guard and JJ Reddick at shooting guard, much like it was for last season. It’s a good combination because Reddick spreads the floor so that Paul can attack the lanes and get to the basket.

There is not a whole lot of minutes behind Chris Paul and JJ Reddick, as the Los Angeles Clippers have the reigning best backup player in the NBA. Jamal Crawford has won multiple Sixth Man of the Year awards because he has proven that he can easily provide offense off the bench.

Raymond Felton joining Clippers. https://t.co/WoT3zikmQP pic.twitter.com/U8mRCWO2Pd

— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) July 14, 2016

The Los Angeles Clippers signed Austin Rivers to a three year contract worth approximately $35 million this summer, as reported by ESPN. In addition to being the son of head coach and team president Doc Rivers, Austin is expected to receive playing time because the team wants to groom him as a potential starter in the future.

With the Dallas Mavericks last season, Raymond Felton was able to receive approximately 27 minutes a game. With the Los Angeles Clippers, the former North Carolina Tar Heels star should not expect to receive the same amount of playing time because of the presence of Austin Rivers and Jamal Crawford.

Of course, more playing time could be made available if Doc Rivers and the Los Angeles Clippers decide to make more of a commitment towards the small ball craze that has infected the NBA. Paul Pierce, their projected starting small forward, could be seeing a lot of minutes at power forward, which would mean that Raymond Felton could be seeing more playing time than expected.

The Houston Rockets signed Pablo Prigioni to a two year contract, as reported by CBS Sports. The veteran served as the emergency point guard for the Los Angeles Clippers last season, and his departure is a reason why Raymond Felton was signed by the team.

In addition to providing competition for Austin Rivers, the Los Angeles Clippers are hoping that Raymond Felton will also serve a mentor to the younger point guard.

In order for Raymond Felton to be an asset for the Los Angeles Clippers, he is going to have to keep his conditioning at a level that is suitable for the NBA. In the past, Felton had been the butt of jokes from fans who feel that has been overweight at times.

Fox Sports reported that the Dallas Mavericks signed Deron Williams to a one year contract. Between Williams, JJ Barea, Seth Curry and Devin Harris, the franchise should be able to withstand the loss of Raymond Felton in free agency.

The Dallas Mavericks didn’t let Raymond Felton walk because he was longer a valuable player in the NBA. They liked him. He simply was no longer needed there. The Los Angeles Clippers should consider this free agency signing a victory because they are receiving a veteran guard that knows how to limit mistakes and does the little things to help teams win.

Raymond Felton isn’t going to change the fate of the Western Conference like Kevin Durant signing with the already stacked Golden State Warriors. However, his presence will help the Los Angeles Clippers at least try to slow down the juggernaut.

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