NBA star Kenneth Faried appears to be on his way to the Atlanta Hawks, according to Bleacher Report . There is growing chatter that the Denver Nuggets want to rid themselves of Kenneth Faried’s contract and the Atlanta Hawks are reportedly ready to take him. It is becoming clear that the first trade of the NBA offseason could take place soon.
NBA trade rumors are common in June, and the one involving the Hawks and the Nuggets seems to have a solid foundation. What is yet to be learned is what the Hawks are willing to offer the Nuggets in return for taking the final year of Faried’s deal, worth $13.8 million.
According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution , the Nuggets are eager to part ways with Faried. If the Nuggets can get from under Faried’s contract, they can focus on signing star center Nikola Jokic to a long-term contract extension this offseason.
Kenneth Faried quickly fell out of favor with Denver Nuggets’ coach Michael Malone and out of the Nuggets’ rotation this past season. The presence of forwards Trey Lyles and Paul Millsap, who the Nuggets signed last summer, has left Faried expendable.
Widely known for his rebounding prowess and hustle plays, Kenneth Faried had made a name for himself prior to Michael Malone taking the Denver Nuggets’ job in 2015. Faried fell out of the Nuggets’ plans soon after.
Nuggets looking to deal Kenneth Faried and Hawks could be ‘willing to accommodate them for the right price,’ per @MCunninghamAJC https://t.co/paEKd0TWsi pic.twitter.com/HNOlozM1hX
— Bleacher Report NBA (@BR_NBA) June 14, 2018
The Atlanta Hawks are in line to take Kenneth Faried, along with a young player whom they can develop down the road. If the Hawks do acquire Faried, his fit becomes the question.
John Collins is already penciled in as a starter in the Atlanta Hawks’ frontcourt. Collins does a lot of the things that Kenneth Faried does on the basketball court. A conflict could be created on the Hawks with two players who virtually does the same things. If Collins or Faried develop some consistency with their perimeter shot, the idea of the Hawks having both on the floor at the same time becomes feasible.
It is possible that the Atlanta Hawks could add Kenneth Faried from the Denver Nuggets for his contract, only to waive him at some point. Sitting with $19 million in cap space, the Hawks have to somehow add salary to get above the NBA’s mandated floor. That figure has yet to be set, however, the Hawks and the rest of the league will soon know how much they have to spend.
Kenneth Faried may not be the only player the Hawks add if their trade with the Nuggets happens. The Hawks could help facilitate other trades by being the third team and a destination for bloated salaries. Also, the Hawks could look to trade star guard Dennis Schroder this offseason. Doing so would give the Hawks even more cap space they have to use.
