Lakers Trade Rumors: Raymond Felton Not a Sound Solution to LA's Point Problems

Raise your hand if you're excited about the possibility of Raymond Felton joining the Los Angeles Lakers.

Anyone? Anyone...? Bueller?

You over there...put your hand down! Nobody is, or even should be.

That hasn't kept the Lakers front office from inquiring with the Portland Trail Blazers about their woebegone point guard. According to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, LA has discussed the possibility of sending Steve Blake back to PDX, where he has a home and with whom he spent three-and-a-half seasons spanned across two separate stints in the Pacific Northwest during his NBA career. 

As desperate as the Lakers are for some fresh blood at the point, Felton is hardly the best option to fill the void up top. The seventh-year veteran out of North Carolina seems to be on the decline just as he, at the age of 27, should be entering his prime.

His current numbers (10.3 points, 6.2 assists, 2.6 turnovers, 38.5 percent from the field) are considerably worse than they were during his half-season stint with the New York Knicks last year, when he posted career-highs in points (17.1) and assists (9.0).

Felton was one of many veterans who came into the season in bad physical shape after loafing during the prolonged lockout and has suffered from it ever since, to the point where Blazers head coach Nate McMillan had little choice but to bench Felton in favor of Jamal Crawford, who's a natural shooting guard.

Why the Purple and Gold would bother with a fading star like Felton is something of a mystery.

Then again, Felton's production nearly matches that of LA's current point guards, who've combined to average 12.4 points and 6.0 assists per game.

And it's not as though Blake has been anything more than a disappointment since arriving in the City of Angels. He seemed to be getting his groove back under Mike Brown this season after struggling in Phil Jackson's triangle offense, but has been slow to regain his form since suffering a rib injury early on in the campaign.

A return to Portland, where Blake played some of his best ball, might do wonders to reignite the former Terp.

As might a change of scenery for Felton.

Then again, the Lakers have at least one better option to turn to (Ramon Sessions) whom they can acquire at minimal cost (a late first-round pick).

But, if Felton turns out to be the choice, then Lakers fans will have little choice but to take a "wait-and-see" approach, sitting on their hands before offering a gesture of approval (or disapproval) to the team's dysfunctional front office.

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