(Chris Humphreys- USA Today Sports)
Kenneth Faried starts his 2014 season with a five-year, $60 million extension from the Nuggets. With extension, responsibilities come with it. It’s not only about being a player that puts great numbers every game, but it’s about being the go-to guy in the fourth quarter.
The Nuggets haven’t had that player since Carmelo Anthony orchestrated his trade to the Knicks. With due respect to Ty Lawson, he isn’t that guy the Nuggets should trust. He is erratic with his shot selection.
Faried feels he is ready to be the player the Nuggets can trust every game. In the Nuggets’ season opener last night, he scored 22 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in the Nuggets’ 89-79 victory over the Pistons at the Pepsi Center.
Faried is coming off a strong finish last season where he established himself as a consistent scorer. In the final two months of the season, he averaged 20 points and 11 rebounds. The game was coming to him. What stood out was how he was able to hit outside shots. His development was the lone bright spot of what was a frustrating 36-46 season for the Nuggets.
It was a credit to how Nuggets coach Brian Shaw developed the 24-year-old power forward. He and his staff worked on his player’s game in practice last few months, and he entrusted his young star to be the guy every game. It all paid off.
Maybe that’s what Faried needed. A coach that believe in him to get it done. It wasn’t the case with then-Nuggets coach George Karl when he yanked his power forward out of the game at times. Part of it was the coach’s frustration of his young player being inconsistent and clueless at games at times.
Shaw knows he needs Faried to be the guy if the Nuggets are winning games. He had to believe in him out of necessity. Plus, his job description was to develop young players. It was why he was hired in the first place after his work with Paul George as the Pacers assistant coach.
Shaw runs a half-court offense, and he understands the importance of a big man when it comes to running that offense. Faried has the body and strength to score in the paint. That becomes a difference maker when it comes to tight games. This is why he has so much investment in his young player.
Faried knows he can be a star if he can get a chance. He finally is getting that opportunity now. For all intents and purposes, he is the guy. With his body and size, there’s no reason why he can’t get double-doubles consistently every night. He is too good.
For him to play a great game last night, that has to be encouraging for the Nuggets to start off the season. They are banking on him to be their next star, which is why they gave him that extension. That extension is based on hope that he can blossom into a great player.
As great of a finish Faried had last year, it can be construed as meaningless since he was doing this when the Nuggets were playing meaningless games. That’s why it’s important he gets off to a great start, so his finish can be a springboard of what should be a good start.
Faried seems like a player that accepts the responsibility of being the guy. He comes to practice early and he is the last one out of practice. He always works on his game and get better. That’s one reason he is Shaw’s favorite. That work ethic is why the second-year Nuggets coach entrusted him to be a leader.
Faried has a desire to be a star. He not only talks about it, but he backs it up with his play and how he goes about his business. That’s why the Nuggets did not hesitate to give him an extension. That intangible justified their reason to sign him.
It’s no secret the Nuggets know they need a star to win games in the fourth quarter. They need a star that can be a difference maker in playoff games. They know they are not going to get one from free agency or trade. They have to find one in the draft. They have to hope that player develops.
This season is more about Gary Harris developing into a NBA player. It is about Faried and Lawson taking the next step to be stars.
If Faried can have games like last night, maybe the Nuggets can be a playoff team.
The Nuggets gave him a new contract to make it happen.
Faried is ready to accept the responsibility of doing so.
Contact or Follow Leslie Monteiro: @LightRodWriter
Leslie Monteiro
Leslie is a contributor for Lightning Rod Sports. He covered high school sports in Bergen County out in North Jersey, and has written op-ed columns on sports such as Bleacher Report and NY Sports Digest.
