Denver Nuggets power forward Kenneth Faried diving for a loose ball. (Photo : Reuters)
Denver Nuggets power forward Kenneth Faried had been the subject of many trade rumors since the 2014-2015 season ended. The speculations were taken lightly in the past until the Nuggets traded Ty Lawson to the Houston Rockets in late July.
Recently, more rumors emerged that Denver management is intending to commit to a full rebuild under new head coach Mike Malone and the "Manimal" is reportedly not included in the plans of the 44-year-old veteran bench tactician.
NBC Sports' Pro Basketball Talk reported that "all of the Nuggets' veterans" are actually available to be traded at this time as the franchise is set to build around and give its keys to 2015 seventh overall pick Emmanuel Mudiay, and foremost on the trading block is said to be Faried.
The report also said that because Faried's "skill set is the most redundant to what they already have", referring to Denver's current lineup of bigs composed of J.J. Hickson, Jusuf Nurkic, and Darrell Arthur who are all bigger than him at his position, he is "the most likely to be moved."
The 25-year-old, four-year pro's current contract is pegged at $50 million for four years, a bargain for most teams, which makes him an attractive trade chip for those who are looking to add rebounding and energy to their rosters.
Sports World Report noted that because he is just entering this new deal, the situation is perfect for teams on a budget, especially that the league's salary cap is set to rise significantly next summer.
As the Nuggets' training camp began on Tuesday, Faried is still expected to stick around until the regular season. Reportedly, it depends on how the team would compete this year whether he will be shipped or not come the February trade deadline.
