The Denver Nuggets and Kenneth Faried don't look all that great after a new ESPN report came out about their front office and the way they do business and while a trade is unlikely, there is chance the team could look at a deal and teams like the LA Lakers, NY Knicks, Miami Heat, Indiana Pacers, Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets could be interested if Faried is put on the trading block.
Faired was signed to an extension over the summer, but recent reports from ESPN has the front office and Faried a bit at odds and that could one day lead to a move. Faried has developed into one of the best young bigs in the league and after his strong summer playing Team USA basketball, the team felt it had no choice but to sign Faried to an extension. According to the ESPN.com report, the organization is not very high on Faried, but after breaking down the 50-win team from two years ago, the front office felt they had to make the "fan friendly" decision on Faried.
The front office looked a bit inept over the summer, as they leaked an agreement on a contract that was not compliant with the CBA before eventually signing Faried to a deal. The Nuggets brought in Faried on a four year, $50 million contract, but the report says that the front office "isn't crazy" about Faried and that he is not "popular" in the locker room either. Faried is averaging 11 points and 7.2 rebounds this season and he likely would get a nice package for the Nuggets if he is moved.
Faried was mentioned in trade rumors last year and before that the Knicks were one team that was interested in looking at a deal. The Knicks and Nuggets have some trade history and the Knicks did not want to get suckered into a deal again, which they did with Carmelo Anthony. While Melo was a great get for the Knicks, they gave up a ton for him and that was due to the negotiating skills of Masai Ujiri. Based on the article from ESPN.com, this group is not as adept at handling deals or working trades, but that doesn't mean they won't listen to offers for Faried in the future.
The Nuggets come into the game on Wednesday night at 3-7 on the season and they have fallen hard since winning 50 games a couple years ago. Faried could be moved if the slide continues and while Brian Shaw has shown that he has talent as a coach, he has not been very impressive overall in his tenure with the team. Faired has helped the team ranked eighth in rebounding this season and he was benched in the second half of the last game for the team.
The Nuggets have struggled and they likely will listen to offers for Faried if teams call in, as he is one of the top young players and could net draft picks or prospects. The Nuggets did not come off great in the article on ESPN and while that may not be a big factor in how they do business, it could affect what the team does with Faried this year.