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The Denver Nuggets have popped up in trade talks involving Blake Griffin, but they would be committing to him at the wrong moment if the Los Angeles Clippers actually made that offer. The Nuggets would have to put Kenneth Faried in the mix to do a deal like this one, and they shouldn’t give up on him yet. Faried proved during his time with Team USA in 2014 that he can be a key piece on a title team, but he needs to be surrounded by the right players.
Emmanuel Mudiay isn’t a bad start, and if the Nuggets can find a great small forward in the draft like Ben Simmons, then they would have a foundation to build on for the next few years. The Toronto Raptors are also interested in Faried, but they don’t have enough assets to make a compelling offer.
The power forward has averaged 12.5 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.0 blocks per game this season, and he is clearly just not on a team that is utilizing his talents to the fullest. Faried would probably welcome a trade to squads like the Clippers or Raptors, but this just isn’t in the best interest of the Nuggets. They must stay the course and construct a team through the draft. It is pretty tough convincing free agents to sign with Denver for some reason, but that could change this summer with all of the cap room about to open up.
The smart bet would be that J.J. Hickson gets moved instead of Denver’s best rebounder, and the Nuggets should continue making smart decisions in the draft to turn themselves back into a playoff team. Faried is just too valuable as a rebounder and hustler for another team to enjoy his services. The Nuggets should see if they can add a marquee free agent this summer to complement the big man’s abilities, and then they can make this huge decision about their future.
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