Raptors Linked To Kenneth Faried… Bad Idea!
With the NBA Trade Deadline just days away, the Toronto Raptors have been linked to yet another potential trade, and it’s one that we here at Raptors Rapture are not fans of. This time it involves Denver Nuggets Forward Kenneth Faried.
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I’m not going to lie, I really do not like the notion of this deal at all. It works out on paper, and ESPN Trade Machine approves a proposed deal of Raptors forwards Patrick Patterson and James Johnson for Faried, and the Raptors would theoretically win 7 more games as a result. But since things in Denver are not so rosy, they almost certainly would want one of Toronto’s four upcoming draft picks, New York’s in particular. Also, both Patterson and Johnson are in the final year of their contract compared to the 4 years remaining for the Manimal, giving Masai Ujiri less flexibility to make future deals. Also, trades that work on paper don’t always translate in actuality, and the opposite is also true (the Rudy Gay trade to and from Toronto comes to mind).
Another thing to consider is that while he’s averaging 12.5 points and 9 rebounds per game, he’s subpar at best on the defensive end of the floor, which is a strike against him as undersized big (he stands 6-foot-8). Also, the last time that Faried was in the playoffs was in 2013, which led to a first round exit. He managed 10 points and 8.4 boards per game in those five games. Coincidentally after that first round exit, then Nuggets GM Masai Ujiri made the decision to take his talents north of the 49th parallel.
Faried isn’t all that bad of a player, don’t get me wrong. He’s a prolific dunker, and is no slouch on the glass. And if I had to compare him to any player, it would be former Raptor Amir Johnson, which isn’t a bad thing… except that Faried is 6-foot-8. The Raptors need an upgrade at the power forward position, with emphasis on the word upgrade. Having Faried would have been good two or three seasons ago when the Raptors were on the rise, but not when they are trying to establish themselves as the clear second-best team in the Eastern Conference and win multiple rounds in the post season.
I personally rank this deal the lowest of any that Toronto is linked to. Toronto is on a mission for respect and relevance. They’re earning that on the back of their defense, so to bring in a player who would threaten to compromise that would be counter productive. There are several other available players at that position who have been made available ahead of the Thursday 3pm NBA Trade Deadline. And unlike recent years, we might see the Raptors pull off something spectacular.
Kenneth Faried just isn’t it though.
Next: The Battle Of Two Dunk Contests
All stats are provided by Basketball-Reference.com unless otherwise stated. Matthew Allman is a staff writer for Raptors Rapture. For more coverage on the Toronto Raptors, follow Matthew on Twitter @ShadowRapsFan and also follow @RaptorsRapture for the latest in Raptors news.