Report: Nuggets gauging trade value of Kenneth Faried

The Nuggets are a team in transition. After parting ways with their head coach and general manager in the offseason, they also watched Andre Iguodala leave to sign with the Warriors in free agency.

(OK, technically it was a sign-and-trade, but that was purely mechanical.)

The plan in Denver is unclear at the moment, so it makes sense that a player who is highly-regarded around the league would be shopped a little bit to gauge his potential trade value before a large contract extension is handed out in the near future.

From Zach Lowe of Grantland:

Multiple sources around the league have reported in the last month that Denver has put out targeted feelers on Faried, gauging his value and demanding very good return. The Nuggets, for their part, deny they’ve put Faried’s name out there at all. Faried is entering the third season of his four-year rookie deal, and given his per-game numbers, he figures to get paid on his next contract. If the Nuggets believe Faried has hit his ceiling, and that his game lacks the all-around polish Brian Shaw has said he wants from his big men, it would make sense for Denver to see what it can get.

Faried is coveted by many executives around the league for his well-above average athleticism, and a motor that seemingly never stops. There would be offers if the Nuggets indeed decided Faried isn’t worth the dollars it will take to lock him up long-term, but the asking price would undoubtedly be steep.

More likely, however, is the idea of the Nuggets just seeing what they might be able to get in return if in fact they were willing to let go; my man Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld sees it the same way.

Faried started 80 games for the Nuggets last season, and averaged 14.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocked shots in 28.1 minutes per game. That’s a lot of production that will have a lot of value, but unless a team is willing to come with an above-market offer in trade, it would be tough to see Denver parting ways with him this soon considering they have a team contract option for just $2.2 million next season, and can make him a restricted free agent by extending a small qualifying offer the season after that.