Is Nuggets’ Kenneth Faried poised for a breakout season?

The Denver Nuggets were extremely disappointing last season under new head coach Brian Shaw, and ended up finishing with a 36-46 record which was good for fourth in their division. They made some moves this offseason to improve the roster, with the acquisition of Arron Afflalo from the Orlando Magic being the main addition. Kenneth Faried was one of the leaders last season, despite all of the trade rumors that were surrounding him.

Faried has been playing a big role for Team USA this summer, and has shown a much improved game from what he has done in the NBA. Is he in for a breakout season in 2014-15 for the Nuggets?

Shaw has made it clear that he wants to keep Faried in town long-term, and that is a huge relief after all of the trade rumors that surrounded him last year. It appeared that the Nuggets were serous about moving him, but in the end they decided to keep him around. He fits exactly what they need at the power forward position in Shaw’s system, and is going to have a huge role this coming year.

It’s very difficult to gauge what he will bring to the table that he has shown with Team USA. He is playing with some of the best NBA players in the league, and it makes things much easier going against some of the competition that they have faced. Faried is one of the most athletic and energetic power forwards in the game, but has needed to show improvement in his overall offensive repertoire throughout the course of his NBA career.

Last season in 80 regular season games with the Nuggets, Faried averaged 13.7 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. Most of his points came off of offensive rebounds and lobs to the rim, which led to shooting 54.5 percent from the floor. His defense has been underrated due to his lack of rim protection, but he forces altered shots and chaos with his quickness and energy in the post.

Offensively he needs to add a post game and a mid-range game in order to become the most effective player that he can be. The Nuggets will always be a factor on the offensive boards when he is in the game, and he is able to pick up easy second chance points on a consistent basis. He has made a living for Team USA of using his athletic ability and rebounding ability to pick up points against lesser athletic players.

One of the most underrated aspects of Faried’s game is his ability to motivate his teammates to bring energy as well. There aren’t many players in the NBA that bring anything close to the same type of energy that Faried has on each and every night, and that is exactly what sets him apart from others. Denver has a lot of energetic players, and Faried has become an excellent leader for them.

All of that being said, this is going to be a very intriguing to keep an eye on Faried and the Nuggets. The type of experience that he has gained from Team USA could be exactly what he has been needing to take the next step, and Denver is going to be asking a lot of him once again. He will have a much larger workload on the defensive end of the court, but he will also be given the opportunity to up his scoring average as well.

There are plenty of reasons to be excited about Faried’s upcoming season, especially after all of the positives that he has shown this summer. He looks like a much improved player from his performances with Team USA, but it will be interesting to see how they translate back to the NBA. Denver is hoping that he can bring the improved version of his game for them this year, and he is still working hard against some of the best competition out there.

When everything is said and done, Faried is going to be putting up big numbers once again for the Nuggets. They are a better all-around team that has improved on both offense and defense, and Faried will still be one of the veteran leaders. Expect to see his numbers rise, and his team to get better due to his individual improvements. This coming season is going to be a very big year for Faried, and he is going to take the next step in his career.