Despite the addition of All-Star forward Paul Millsap into the Denver Nuggets' roster, spark plug forward Kenneth Faried is still aiming for a spot in the starting five.
The mindset for coach Mike Malone had been to pair Millsap and young dime-dropping center Nikola Jokic, who had his best season in 2016-17, leaving no room in the front court for The Manimal.
“Honestly, yeah, I’m like still a competitor at the end of the day,” Faried told BSN's Harrison Wind when asked if he prefers to start. “So if anybody asks me that, like yes, of course. Like you asked me now, yes at the end of the day, like you said, I’m a competitor so I’m going to want to fight to be in the five.”
“That’s basically, hey, get the intros, and people (inaudible), that started my career, that really helped jumpstart my career. I was a starter and that’s how I take my career and that’s always how I took myself as a starter. It’s going to be kind of interesting because we’re going to have good battles at practice if I come off the bench. When I come off the bench I’m going to still play hard and care because at the end of the day it’s about the team.”
There is an open spot at the small forward position after the departure of Italian marksman Danilo Gallinari, but Millsap isn't agile enough for the spot, and Faried just lacks the shooting touch to play at the three.
Malone could opt to go with Wilson Chandler or Will Barton at the wing, but Kenneth Faried's chances are locked at backing up Millsap as a power forward and Jokic as part of a speed-five coming off the bench.
Follow Us
Subscribe