Kenneth Faried: Where do we go from here?
Kenneth Faried has stirred up quite the commotion this year.
I have a confession. I like Kenneth Faried. I’ve met him a few times; he would come in to a sandwich shop I was training at for lunch. He was quiet, polite but he definitely had a presence. It’s part of what makes his current exile so hard to understand.
Denver Nuggets
With little confirmation from Michael Malone, fans are left to wonder what it is we don’t know about Kenneth. He’s well below his career averages across the board and his minutes have dropped from his career average of 25.2 to 15.6 for the ’17-’18 season.
One could legitimately contemplate what difference Faried could have made in close losses to Minnesota, Philadelphia and Sacramento. He’s proven to be a monster on the offensive glass (3.1 Career Offensive Rebounds) and has a knack for getting buckets in traffic (.545 Career FG%). The eye test tells us he’s an energetic performer and can elevate his team and audiences with his highlight reel plays.
So, what gives? It seems that since being drafted from Moorehead State in 2011, Kenneth has struggled to carve out minutes. That struggle has encompassed Ujiri, Connelly, Karnisovas, Karl, Shaw, Melvin Hunt (remember?) and now Malone.
The year 2011 gave us another Denver draft choice that seemed to buck tradition. Tebow mania gripped Denver in the fall of ’11 with fans clamoring for the organization to take a risk, take a chance, let go, let Tim. The sad truth, however, was that the limitations in Tebow’s game, while not evident to the average fan, was too much to overcome. Experts knew all along but it mattered little to a fan base that was pulled in by his personality.
Kenneth is a bit of a different (M)animal than Tebow. His cult isn’t of personality necessarily but of effort and the ability to overachieve. At 6-8, 225, he’s undersized at 4 in today’s NBA that counts LaMarcus Aldridge, Porzingis, Millsap, Griffin, Draymond, etc. among its members.
He contends well by utilizing his seemingly infinite reserve of energy and desire but his size is a liability when asked to defend the bigger Power Forwards. As mentioned earlier, Kenneth shoots a very favorable 55% from the floor but the lion’s share of his points come from the paint. His range is limited, which is a badge many NBA bigs share but if you look at the makeup of the Nuggets team, he may be the only player on the roster without 3-point range. That’s significant in that he can be seen as the monkey wrench in the Nuggets up-and-down stretch game.
Lastly, Kenneth is faced with incredible competition at the 4 spot. Millsap has the pedigree, size and range. He has been as-advertised and will return to the starting lineup as soon as he is healthy. Mason Plumlee, who has shifted to the 4 lately, has provided much of the energy that Kenneth brings but has range, great vision and passing. Trey Lyles has literally exploded onto the lineup. He currently sits 3rd in the NBA in 3PT shooting and he’s been a difference maker. This leaves little room for a high-motor guy with a comparatively limited skill set.
The question of where we go from here with Kenneth is not easily answered. There have been trade rumors pretty much since the day he arrived in Denver. It’s not that he’s without value and, packaged with, let’s say Mudiay and a draft pick, it’s a powerful offering without costing the Nuggets rotation players. The problem with trade scenarios is, there’s not much available that would improve the Nuggets fortunes. Our most glaring need is a wing that can fit the mold of this team. I’ll throw Otto Porter out there as an ideal 3 for the Nuggets. Unfortunately, we can’t have Otto Porter or Jimmy Butler or the Greek Freak or Kawhi or KD. You see what I’m getting at: the small forward we need isn’t available. The most viable trade scenario may be to wait for the Summer of ’18 and use our assets in a sign-and-trade (LeBron? Just kidding).
The solution, then, may just be to convert Kenneth into a situational, specialized player; a quick infusion of energy and to shake off the doldrums the Nuggets have shown a proficiency for falling into. Kenneth could be a spectacular run-killer. Coach Malone doesn’t appear to fear volatility in his rotation as often (as in the case of Will Barton) the upside vastly outweighs the negative. So, instead of burying Kenneth at the 4, give him time at all of the front court positions. He’s quick and a good shot blocker; he could handle guarding the 3. In our small-ball lineups, he could play 5 – he’s never shied away from banging down low.
Kenneth Faried still has value to contribute to the Nuggets lineup, despite his limitations. It remains to be seen how that value can translate but here’s hoping because, like I said, I like the guy.