Portland Trail Blazers: Why Raymond Felton Could Be the X-Factor Next Season

Following a disappointing first round exit from the playoffs last season, the Portland Trail Blazers immediately looked to fill some holes in their roster, specifically the point guard position.

Andre Miller played well during his tenure, using his size and veteran wisdom to gain an edge over smaller and quicker guards.

However, after turning 35 in March, his quickness and stamina became something that needed to be addressed.

Enter Raymond Felton.

On the day of the 2011 NBA Draft, the Portland Trail Blazers made somewhat of a blockbuster deal that sent both Miller and Rudy Fernandez to Denver for the up-tempo point guard.

At first glance, I was a bit skeptical of the deal. Miller had two years worth of established chemistry with the Blazers and is clearly a better passer and defender than Felton.

But after further evaluating the stats and the facts, it was evident that Felton could not only be beneficial to Portland, but could in fact be that X-factor they need to finally push past the first round of the playoffs.

The most notable thing Felton brings is something that Miller never offered: three-point efficiency.

While Miller shot an abysmal 10.8 percent from three last season, Felton shot an incredible 45.9 percent from downtown after being traded to the Nuggets. With the Blazers finally having a floor general who must be attended to at all times, the chances of their superstar post player, LaMarcus Aldridge, being double-teamed by the opposition decreases.

Felton is also known for his occasional Steve Nash-like threes in transition, as we all saw during his days with the New York Knicks.

The second-most important thing that Felton brings to the table is an increase in tempo.

During the Miller saga, Portland ran a mainly half court offense, moving the ball around and deferring to their superstars, Brandon Roy and L.A., for their points. With athletic young players like Nicolas Batum and Wesley Matthews, getting out on the break is something that could prove to be extremely beneficial down the line.

The last, and certainly not least, important thing that Felton brings is chemistry with newly acquired Forward, Gerald Wallace.

Wallace brings an unmatched physicality and a reckless abandon (giving him the nickname "Crash") that makes him, too, an X-factor heading into next season. You didn't forget that they were sort of a dynamic duo—or trio if you include Stephen Jackson—back in Charlotte, did you?

With that kind of chemistry, eye-popping alley-oops and backdoor cuts are bound to happen. They're both up tempo players who love to run the floor, and both of them in Portland can only equate into more wins.

Raymond Felton, after he gets to know the team and its players, could truly be a godsend for the Portland Trail Blazers.

When he was traded from the Bobcats to the Knicks, a team with significantly more talent, his assists jumped up to nine per game and he was being seriously considered as an All-Star nominee.

Coming to a team that has just as much talent spread out across different positions, Felton should be able to find his niche in coach Nate McMillan's system. Who knows, the system might even change with the addition of these up tempo players.

But once Felton gets settled in and adjusted to the new offense, it'll be scary to see how far Portland goes.