Kenneth Faried: Expendable Piece for Denver Nuggets?
Kenneth Faried is, currently, one of the best players on the Denver Nuggets’ roster; however, with younger frontcourt pieces in the fold, is he expendable?
Kenneth Faried flew under most teams’ radar in the 2011 NBA draft; however, the Denver Nuggets selected the power forward, out of Morehead State, with the 22nd overall pick (1st round). Kenneth Faried quickly splashed onto the scene in the Mile High City, posting 10.2 ppg, 7.7 rpg, and 1.0 blk. Over the next two seasons following the 2011-2012 season, Kenneth Faried saw his production trend in a positive direction, with some believing he was on the brink of superstardom.
Next: Jusuf Nurkic: Ready to Start for Denver Nuggets?
After a career year in 2013-2014, Kenneth Faried seems to have plateaued in his production, albeit with strong numbers for a smaller-sized power forward. His last two seasons mirror nearly identical stats, with the Denver Nuggets’ power forward averaging over 12 points per game and just under nine rebounds per game each season. With Kenneth Faried production at a stand-still, the Denver Nuggets might find it plausible to trade him in the near future.
The Denver Nuggets are in the midst of a total rebuild, focusing on building a squad around Emmanuel Mudiay, Gary Harris, Nikola Jokic, and Jusuf Nurkic. The Denver Nuggets possess several first round draft picks next season, so it makes sense to deal Kenneth Faried to continue to trend in the right direction in the rebuilding process. While Kenneth Faried is a fan-favorite for the Denver Nuggets, they must trade him while his value is still high.
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Earlier in the season, Nikola Jokic earned a nice run with the starting rotation for the Denver Nuggets, and he showcased what type of talent the young rookie possesses. While the Denver Nuggets used Jokic primarily as a center, he demonstrated the ability to knock down mid-range jump-shots. With the ability to extend his game away from the rim, that enables the Denver Nuggets to utilize his size at the power forward position.
The Denver Nuggets cannot compete at an NBA Championship level in the short-term, so with Kenneth Faried in his age-26 season, the time is now for the team to trade him to a contender. Kenneth Faried “wowed” people with his high motor upon entering the league; however, his motor is running on empty playing for a team that is in rebuild mode. Moreover, the Denver Nuggets would get a nice yield for the star power forward.
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Sure, the Denver Nuggets could continue to push for a playoff spot this season, but all that does is inhibit the rebuilding process. The Denver Nuggets need to part with Kenneth Faried and provide the younger guys on the roster with more minutes. If the Denver Nuggets sported a lineup with Jusuf Nurkic and Nikola Jokic, the team improves both defensively and in the rebounding department.
Nikola Jokic, to-date, averages 8.6 ppg and 5.5 rpg, while on playing 18.8 minutes per game. Kenneth Faried averages eight minutes more than Jokic per game; however, Faried posts only four points and three rebounds more in those minutes, showing that he might be an expendable for the Denver Nuggets moving forward. The Denver Nuggets recently released Kostas Papanikolaou, leaving an open spot on the roster for perhaps a trade.
With an open spot on the roster, rumors speculate that the Denver Nuggets are looking for a trade in the upcoming days before the NBA’s trade deadline. The two obvious candidates to be dealt are Danilo Gallinari and Kenneth Faried; however, it remains to be seen what the Denver Nuggets plan on doing.
Next: Jusuf Nurkic: Ready to Start for Denver Nuggets?
It will be tough for the Denver Nuggets to part with Kenneth Faried; however, the NBA is a business filled with ups and downs. If the Denver Nuggets want to compete a high level in the star-studded Western Conference, they must rebuild from the ground up. The Denver Nuggets have some cornerstone pieces to be a force in the foreseeable future, especially with a slew of draft picks for the upcoming NBA Draft, but they are still a ways away.