Denver Nuggets Player Outlook: The Manimal, Kenneth Faried
Mar 14, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried (35) dunks the ball past Miami Heat forward Luol Deng (9) during the first half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Kenneth Faried has been a key part of the Denver Nuggets for several years, and now we will take a look at what he will contribute this season.
The manimal, Kenneth Faried, has had trade rumors surrounding him for years, and ever since 2011 when he was drafted in the first round by the Nuggets, Faried has only given his passion and hustle. If traded, it would be sad to see such a pivotal player to the Denver organization. But, in the mean time, we will take a look at what Faried may be in store for this season.
Kenneth Faried is looking to have a bounce back season. With the additions of Jokic and Nurkic, Faried suddenly saw a decrease in his minutes last year, and had trouble finding his true role in the rotation. To top it all off, the general consensus is that he will be traded this year sometime.
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While his production has certainly leveled off since his first years, Faried can still make a positive impact for the Nuggets if used correctly.
Jan 27, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried (35) makes the basket against the Boston Celtics in the second quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
The Role of the Manimal, Kenneth Faried
Faried’s role this year will be complicated. He isn’t big enough to play the 5 spot, but he is still effective at times despite his size playing the power forward spot.
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I think we will see Faried start out as a starter, but then moved to the bench as the year progresses to help the second unit provide even more of a spark. In terms of his production, it is easy to see why the Nuggets are looking to trade him.
I won’t waste time divulging into basic stats like free throw percentage or points per game, but the advanced stats tell much of the same story. Last season, Faried only tallied a total of 1,694 minutes played which is 392 minutes less from the year before.
His value over replacement player rating also decreased from 1.4 to 1.2 and his defensive abilities have never been his forte. Last season his defensive box plus/minus was all the down to -0.1. These stats show why people are questioning his contract and thinking he should be traded.
It wouldn’t be fair to highlight the negative impact, but not go over how the Manimal can be effective. When around the basket, Faried has proven to be money. His effective field goal percentage is an astounding 54.4% (LeBron’s is 52% to put that in perspective) and possesses a similarity score comparable to Chandler Parsons when it comes to win shares.
Faried also holds a career true shooting percentage of 57%! If Malone can run some of his offense to free up Faried for some easy opportunities, Faried could show that he still belongs in Denver.
Jan 30, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried (35) goes up for a shot against Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) and guard George Hill (3) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Indiana defeats Denver 109-105 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
The Future
While the 4 year- $50 million contract extension isn’t sitting well with many Denver fans, it is easy to see why the Nuggets gave him the extension.
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His role will not be much different as Malone will most likely use him as an energizer to grab second chance rebounds and provide valuable hustle. Faried may be on the trade market, but if we have learned anything about the Manimal, it’s that he still yields great value for the Nuggets.
Faried may start coming off of the bench to give Darrell Arthur a shot at starter minutes. This could be the year the manimal is finally traded, and from all Denver fans, we will miss him, if he is traded.
The start of this season will help to prove how it will end. If the manimal can help kick-start this young Nuggets team to a strong start, then we may see him around after all. If not, he may be traded to allow minutes to be circulated around.
Their are positive’s and negative’s to every trade, and from at least me here at Nugg Love, we hope we can retain Kenneth Faried.