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| A losing season for the Knicks and down statistical year for Felton are only worsened by his recent legal troubles |
The New York Knicks are having a disastrous 2013-14 season. There I said it, and I do not think many people would disagree with me from the team's poor 21-36 record to the recent buyouts of Beno Udrih and Metta World Peace and the swirling thoughts around Carmelo Anthony's possible looming free agency departure. All that was missing, until now, was a player having a run-in with the police.
Thanks to Raymond Felton, they are able to check that off the list.
Felton's wife, with whom he is currently going through divorce dealings, turned in a semi-automatic handgun to New York police on Tuesday, and since the point guard did not possess the gun through legal means, he was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and of a firearm and had to post a $25,000 bail.
It is unlikely he will face jail time, but it is certainly possible, but punitive action from the NBA might be taken against Felton in the form of a suspension or fine.
It is the latest unfortunate event for the Knicks and Felton, who is averaging a career-low 10.4 points per game this year on putrid 40 percent shooting from the field, less than 30 percent from three, and a measly 70 percent –bad for a point guard– from the free throw line. Allegations of his weight being out of control and almost-completed trade rumors have also weighed on his season, which has gone from just subpar to nightmarish in the span of a few weeks.
All of these aspects put together make it seem very hard for the Knicks to not trade or somehow get rid of Felton either this summer or during next season, as they weren't able to get a deal done this year. The UNC product's contract is good through next year, but he also has a player option for the 2015-16 campaign that he would undoubtedly exercise if his value drops any lower than it is right now.
As of this second, though, Felton is not in jail or suspended, and was at Knicks' practice in suburban New York today. He might even play tomorrow night when New York heads to South Beach to face the defending champion Miami Heat.
However, though, the clock is clearly ticking on Felton's future with the Knicks, and maybe in the entire NBA. Most teams do not want to deal with guys messing around with dangerous guns that they do not have permits for and no coach wants to deal with the distraction of one of his players being investigated by police, especially in a media-crazy city like New York.
Not a good look for Felton at all.
