The Nuggets have a need, a need for Faried
“Since the trade deadline, particularly since the beginning of March, Faried has begun to prove his doubters wrong. Aside from Ty Lawson, “Manimal”, it can be argued, has been the Nuggets best player, averaging over twenty points and ten rebounds per game.”
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“Faried has looked like a whole new player this month, averaging an impressive 21.9 points and 9.8 rebounds in 10 games. Owners have to be thrilled with the timing of his recent surge, especially considering how underwhelming Faried had been earlier in the season. The big man is rewarding owners who stuck it out with him.” – ESPN fantasy basketball
Prior to the NBA trade deadline a buzz among Nuggets fans was that it had come time for Denver to give up on Kenneth Faried. The Knicks were one of several teams showing interest in the young forward and the thinking was that if they were willing to take him off our hands then he should be gone. Faried had struggled throughout the first part of this season and it had begun to appear as though he should not be part of the plan moving forward.
Since the trade deadline, particularly since the beginning of March, Faried has begun to prove his doubters wrong. Aside from Ty Lawson, “Manimal”, it can be argued, has been the Nuggets best player, averaging over twenty points and ten rebounds per game. He seems to be responding well to the schooling of head coach Brian Shaw and becoming a central character for the blue and yellow.
Faried is unquestionably the most exciting Nugget to watch – particularly at home where he feeds on the energy of the Pepsi Center crowd. He’s active even when he isn’t on the floor. No player is quicker to leap from his seat to cheer on his team mates than Faried.
Because Faried is fun to watch he has become a fan favorite. His long hair and catchy nickname make him hugely popular with kids and now that his game is beginning to develop adults are liking him more and more as well.
Faried is not known for his defense. Even in his breakout month of March he has failed to total even one blocked shot per game and he sometimes looks confused on the opposition’s end of the court. He also struggles with his jump shot. Faried’s scoring is mostly at the rim. Still, those are aspects of his game that can be developed through coaching. Effort is something far harder to teach. Faried has demonstrated that he is all in when it comes to hustle.
Hustle is precisely what the Nuggets need moving forward. It’s more important that star power, more important that ping pong balls. The Nuggets need leadership on the court and lately the Manimal has provided it through the hard work he puts in on the basketball court.
It wasn’t that long ago that I, like most Nuggets fan, had given up on Kenneth Faried. I was more than ready to see him tossed onto history’s scrap heap of prospects who hadn’t worked out in the Mile High City. I am quickly changing back to the way I thought of Faried before. He’s all-Nugget. He was drafted by Denver, appreciates Denver and seems to enjoy living here. He is not one of the players who seems to want to get out of here as quickly as possible. His two moms even call Denver home – and attend the games. Faried’s support for the LGBT community is valued in Denver and would be greatly missed if he were shipped out.
Faried is under contract for next season, when his paycheck will nearly double from around $1.4M to $2.5M. The increase is one reason some fans wanted to see him traded. Come 2015 he will be a restricted free agent.
The Nuggets should consider offering the Manimal a contract extension in the off season to insure he stays beyond next year. Assuming he continues to get better the Nuggets may find they have a need for Faried.
