NBA Rumors: Denver Nuggets don’t want to trade Kenneth Faried

Just before the 2013 trade deadline, the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks were reportedly talking about a trade centered around forward Kenneth Faried and guard Iman Shumpert.

The trade never came to fruition and the Nuggets say they never really wanted to trade Faried in the first place.

“In the last six weeks of the season, there are only a handful of players in the league who have been better than Kenneth Faried,” Nuggets’ general manager Tim Connelly said. “He rebounds like he’s 7-feet tall. His intensity and toughness overcomes his lack of size. His shooting percentage is high. And, of course, his energy level in contagious. In a lot of ways, Faried determines how we play.”

Connelly also believed Faried and head coach Brian Shaw have done an excellent job of figuring each other out.

“It has been a disappointing year for us, but not a lost year,” Connelly said. “The transition has not been easy for anybody, including Faried. But he has been unbelievable, especially late in the season. As coach and player, Brian and Kenneth have done a great job of getting to know each other.”

Faried is averaging 13.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.