As the Brooklyn Nets continue to build their new roster by adding veteran talent, Kenneth Faried will face less criticism and pressure in his new home.
The name Kenneth Faried was a fixture on many trade deadline talks during most of his tenure with the Denver Nuggets. As productive as he’s been in past seasons, he still figured to be a very available trade chip if the Nuggets wanted to get to the next level.
The Brooklyn Nets were the team that sought Faried’s services, acquiring the “Manimal” last month. The move was a breath of fresh air for the 28-year-old from Newark, New Jersey, as he tries to rebound from another down season. The former Morehead State University star only played 32 games last season, producing career lows in scoring and rebounding.
During his first interview with reporters since the trade, Faried opened up about being excited for a new opportunity in his career.
"“The first thing I thought of when I found out I was getting traded was not to be close to home, but a fresh start, something new,” Faried said. “Just to be where a team wants me, and they’re interested in me and want me to come and not just sit on the bench but teach and do my job and play the game I love. I’m excited to be here, because it’s like home for me.”"
The Nets are in need of a boost on the boards as they continue to stack players to help fill holes on the roster. Faried is listed at 6’8″, but is versatile enough to play center because of his ferocious intensity in the paint. This addition will open up more scoring opportunities for others as his offensive rebounding will be clutch in providing extra possessions.
"“The intangible things I do, I want to rub off on my teammates. My energy is contagious, so my energy when I was in the game doing the things I did [was] contagious around the whole team, the stadium. That’s why when you hear ‘We want Manimal!’ back when I was in Denver, or fans chanting ‘We Want Manimal,’ it’s for a reason: Because I bring that energy and that’s what I plan to do here.”"
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson averaging 6.8 rebounds per game to lead the team is a far cry in comparison to the numbers traditionally put up on the boards by Faried and other elite power forwards.
Faried won’t face the same criticism in Brooklyn as he did in Denver simply because the Nets are not looking for him to be an All-Star or to change his game to fit a system. He will be focused on keeping possessions alive, fighting for rebounds and providing those infamous intangibles.
Nets general manager Sean Marks spoke to reporters about the Faried acquisition last month, pointing out his hopeful contributions to the team moving forward.
"“I think he fits with that Brooklyn grit that we talk about in terms of how he plays; he plays with high intensity, obviously at a fast pace. His game will transition well to Brooklyn and what [coach] Kenny’s [Atkinson] wanting to do here. He brings some of the intangibles that you mentioned before, which is just that interior presence, the physicality and so forth. We have Ed Davis, another one we’ve just signed. Having those two here will certainly help with that.”"
The Nuggets were quick to deal Faried because of his inability to adapt to the offense ran by head coach Michael Malone and their need to duck the luxury tax by getting rid of the $13.8 million remaining on his contract for this year. This addition by the Nets proves Marks’ and the team’s philosophy of slowly building the foundation for future success.