Kenneth Faried
The Miami Heat could use rebounding and paint defending help. Kenneth Faried, The Manimal, should be ready and willing to contribute to a contender.
The Miami Heat are a middle of the road rebounding team and a bottom third team when it comes to swatting shots away.
What better way to account for those two deficiencies than by going out to get a price-efficient guy who excels in just those areas, seems to fit the Miami Heat culture based on everything we’ve ever known about him, and should be hungry considering that he can’t seem to stick anywhere as of late?
That is just the case when you look at Kenneth Faried, the Manimal. Dividing last season between Brooklyn and Houston, he seemed to return to the form in the latter destination that made him such a beast in Denver.
Of course adapting his effort and ferocity to the style of play that the Houston Rockets have, Faried’s 25 game stint last season seemed like a success to me. Obviously his 12.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, and nearly a block per game weren’t enough to bring him back though, as the Rockets didn’t.
Last playing for the Chinese Basketball Association, the former Team USA player still has a ton in the tank and especially if in the right situation. The Miami Heat could be that situation for a player of his ilk and demeanor.
He would not only fit right in with Jimmy Butler and Jae Crowder, but Bam Adebayo probably wouldn’t mind him either. Although not the all-around guy that Bam is, Faried is more than capable of holding his own as a rim runner, rebounder, paint defender, and could be an awesome coat of Teflon when playing beside Adebayo.
The Miami Heat aren’t in any sort of emergency scenario right now where they just have to go out and get a guy, but if they are in need or simply to accrue more depth, why not? The guys mentioned here would all be perfect additions.
If the end goal is to win a title, then why not give yourself the best chance to do so? One of these guys could help ensure that the Heat are giving it their best shot.