Entering the 2014 season, Kenneth Faried is one of the names that will get tossed around in every trade rumor imaginable. Faried will become a restricted free agent next summer and is currently listed as one of the best small forwards available. Faried is currently growing his star power on Team USA in the FIBA World Cup which will only increase his salary demands with the Denver Nuggets. Does he stay or does he go?
According to Sean Deveney of Sporting News, Faried will likely increase his contract demands after a strong summer with Team USA. Determining Faried's worth will be tricky. This summer, players like Chandler Parsons inked deals worth $14.7 million. Derrick Favors got a four-year, $47 million contract. Faried's number could start at $13 million, but NBA sources predict he will demand close to $58 million over four years. Are the Denver nuggets looking to take the risk?
Deveney believes that type of deal will be too risky for the Nuggets. Some question whether or not Faried will give that production over a long period of time or not. Also what happens when Danilo Gallinari, Ty Lawson and JaVale Lawson return to the team healthy? Will they be willing to shell out the money Faried could command? The two sides have already tabled contract negotiations once this summer. The deadline to get the forward under a new deal is October 13. If they failed to sign something, Faried will pop up in every trade rumor until his future is determined.
According to Steve Kyler of BasketballInsiders.com, the New York Knicks have attempted to trade for Faried in the past and could do so again. The Knicks do not have the assets to acquire Faried. Players like Iman Shumpert or Amar'e Stoudemire will not get the job done so this move is unlikely to happen. However, next summer the Knicks will have a good amount of salary cap space to work with and could make Faried their top target. New York is already looking at Greg Monroe after he signed his one-year qualifying offer with the Detroit Pistons to be unrestricted next summer. Both players would be solid pickups for Carmelo Anthony support.
Expect the Los Angeles Lakers to also be very interested in Faried. They are another team that is set up perfectly to spend some money next summer and Faried will be one of the best available. They will be looking to pick up a top point guard once Steve Nash and Jeremy Lin depart, but they could then look Faried's way.