Just a year removed from the playoffs, the Denver Nuggets are a team filled with young, talented players that have yet to refine their games fully. Kenneth Faried, who was a part of Team USA in the FIBA World Championships this summer, is one of those players, and on Monday, he got paid by Denver.
The Nuggets signed Faried to a five-year, $60 million extension yesterday, giving the Morehead State product a long-term home that is a win-win for both parties.
For Faried, he gains a sense of stability by knowing what team he will play for (barring a trade) for much of the decade. For the Nuggets, they get a near-double-double player who is an explosive defender for $12 million a season.
Considering that the NBA just signed an new and incredibly lucrative television rights deal, the salary cap is probably going to go up, by a lot. If that occurs, it diminishes the cap impact of Faried’s deal to the Nuggets, making the extension even more team-friendly.
At only 24 years of age, Faried probably has not even played his best basketball yet, and if last year was any indication, he has some amazing play forthcoming. And maybe the most positive aspect of his game is not even his intimidating physical presence, it is his tenacity and willingness to give up his body to make the right play.
Granted, that type of play is risky, because it invites possible injuries. But Faried has played 80 games in each of the last two seasons, so clearly his frame can handle his style, regardless of its ferociousness. The Nuggets got a real steal here.
