Team USA: Has Kenneth Faried earned a contract extension?

The FIBA World Cup or Olympic basketball can help players take the next step in their careers. A strong showing on a world stage can garner attention for international players hoping to make the jump to the NBA. For those already in the NBA, Team USA is often a platform for young players to show the rest of the league what they got.

During the 2014 FIBA World Cup, Kenneth Faried has proven his worth, and has been the most pleasant surprise for Team USA.

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Other than helping save Team USA from Jennifer Lawrence-levels of embarrassment against Turkey when he finished with 22 points on 11-of-14 shooting, eight rebounds, three steals and two blocks in what was a close game through three quarters, Faried has become an invaluable part to coach Mike Krzyzewski’s team.

His inclusion on the original USA roster had come without much fanfare. Since then, Kevin Durant and Kevin Love have dropped out, leaving the door open for another power forward to take charge. New Orleans Pelicans center Anthony Davis has also been a standout but, just like he has with the Denver Nuggets, Faried has become the heart and soul of the team with his hard work and hustle.

Faried, averaging 14.3 points and 8.3 rebounds while shooting a tournament-high 80 percent from the field, also has good timing. From Yannis Koutroupis of BasketballInsiders.com:

"Picking up where he left off in the regular season with Team USA this summer is the best-case scenario for Faried because it comes in the midst of contract extension negotiations with the Nuggets, who have made it abundantly clear that they would like to get a deal done with him and view him as a long-term centerpiece.At this point, the deals that Larry Sanders and Derrick Favors have can be looked at as the absolute floor for a Faried deal. Sanders’ deal pays him $44 million over the course of four years, while Favors is making $12.25 on average in his four-year deal that goes into effect this season. So, if the floor is $11-12.25 million and the ceiling is $17.82 – that’s roughly a five million gap that the two sides have to negotiate with. Of course, Faried’s contract will likely be structured with the annual 7.5 percent raises and ascend rather than having a flat rate across the board, but a deal that works for both sides is definitely achievable before the deadline given Faried’s market value and marked improvement."

The Nuggets have until October 31 to extend Faried, otherwise he will become a restricted free agent. The question for the Nuggets is if they believe Faried will evolve into a max player this season. Over his three-year career, Faried averages 12.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. To be considered a max player, he’ll need to get closer to 20-10.

The situation reminds me a lot of when the Golden State Warriors signed Stephen Curry to a four-year, $40 million extension on Oct. 31, 2012, rather than wait to re-sign him as a restricted free agent. Coming off a season in which he averaged 14.7 points, 5.3 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game on 45 percent shooting from three, $10 million a year seemed like a lot for a guy who looked like all he might be is a three-point shooter.

We all know what happened. Curry blossomed the next season and took the Warriors to the playoffs, where he lit up America with a flurry of three-pointers and clutch baskets. The Warriors believed in Curry’s potential and it paid off with one of the best contracts in the NBA.

The Nuggets face a similar decision. Do they bet on Faried’s potential and sign him to a contract extension, or risk losing him in free agency? Faried’s World Cup performance should help Denver decide.

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Does Kenneth Faried’s World Cup performance earn him a contract extension?

By Wes Goldberg | Sep 3, 2014