Nowhere looks more inviting, seems more comfortable at the moment than a basketball court for the legally, personally, professionally troubled Raymond Felton and his beleaguered Knicks teammates.
Felton’s season has been a disappointing exercise on the basketball court, and his situation was compounded immeasurably in the legal courts Tuesday when he was charged with two counts of weapons possession. After his estranged wife brought a loaded handgun she alleged to be his to police, Felton was arraigned and released on $25,000 bail.
So playing basketball looks appealing. And in a less-than-one-minute statement, issued without the aid of written notes Wednesday at the Knicks’ Greenburgh practice facility, Felton said he has not been a distraction for the Knicks, thanked those who supported him and insisted the focus should be making the playoffs.
“This is not a distraction to this team,” Felton said after practice. “I’m focusing on finishing out this season, finishing out these games with my teammates and going down to Miami, focusing on this next game at task, against the defending champs.”
Coach Mike Woodson acknowledged Felton would fly to Miami with the Knicks and play Thursday.
“He will play, yes,” said Woodson who indicated he gave no thought to withholding Felton from the lineup for a game or two.
“Not at all. … That was never an issue in terms of Ray coming back,” Woodson said. “We were just trying to get him back with the team and around people that love him and try to get him back on track.
“Raymond is still with us, and I am on Raymond’s side in terms of trying to make sure he is doing the necessary things to play basketball.”
The Knicks, who are five games out of the East’s eighth playoff spot with 25 games to play, have their heels on the edge of the cliff. They’ve lost nine of their past 11 games and are 1-4 since the All-Star break.
So the day’s focus was basketball. Not arrests, not arraignments, not Felton’s next scheduled court appearance June 2. Basketball. Felton referred all legal matter questions to his attorneys.
“As far as speaking on what’s going on off the court with me, there’ll be no comment,” Felton said. “If you’ve got any questions dealing with that, speak with my lawyer. Other than that, I’m here to concentrate on this team, finish this season out with the New York Knicks and see what happens, man, trying to make it to the playoffs.
“We’re 5 ½ games out, 25 games left and I’m really focusing on that with these guys with the team and trying to make that happen.”
Though Woodson said he is “not calling it a distraction,” the incident is the latest in a hellish season for the Knicks, who have dealt with a crippling wave of injuries, surgeries, rehabs, suspensions, fines and, above all, defeats. Where once talk was of title, now it is closer to mere survival. Woodson, who spoke with Felton on Tuesday, repeatedly expressed concerned for his beleaguered point
“I want guys to be professional. I want guys to do things right on and off the court,” Woodson said. “I don’t know a whole lot about what’s actually happening with Raymond and the situation he’s going through. At the end of the day, he’s a part of the New York Knicks family. I’m going to support him and try to get him back on track.”
And Felton’s teammates have his back, said center Tyson Chandler.
“We’re brothers. We spend more time with each other than we do with our own families,” Chandler said. “We communicate things and support each other.
“Honestly, it wasn’t much of a distraction [at practice],” Chandler said to a large, but not bursting, media gathering. “All this media and all this attention, that can be a distraction, but once you’re between those lines, in sort of our safe haven, there’s no distraction. This is basketball.”
Felton’s legal issues never surfaced in their conversations, Chandler said.
“I don’t think that’s any of my business. My concern is him as an individual, as a friend, teammate, brother,” Chandler said. “Then he’s ready to play basketball and go out there and fight with him.
“He seemed like he was no different than when I saw him at the game. He seemed very focused, very attentive to what was going on as far as our game plan for Miami. If it wasn’t for all the media, I wouldn’t know what was going on.”