Last years first round loss in the playoffs are still in the mind of fans and media. One area of concern is rebounding as the team doesn’t have much depth in the paint, leading to rumors of a potential deal before the upcoming trade deadline.
The latest reports have the front office looking into the possibility of adding Denver Nuggets power forward Kenneth Faried, a rebounding machine at the four position and the type of player that would benefit playing with a more solid group of guards.
Being a late first round pick in 2011, the 26-year-old entered the league known for his prowess on the glass, but with limited abilities on the offensive side of the court. After four plus years in the NBA, not much has changed, but the young man hasn’t played with a point guard that can use his skill set and yet he still has managed to average over 12 points per game in his career, most of which is put backs off the glass with offensive rebounds.
The good news for the former Morehead State star and the Raptors, Toronto doesn’t need another offensive weapon, not with the group of guards they have in place. Faried would help on the boards and with blocked shots, the biggest weakness of this group, especially when facing teams with plenty of bulk in the paint.
Toronto is three games behind Cleveland for the best record in the Eastern Conference and while all eyes are on Golden State this season as the Warriors look to break Chicago’s record for the most wins during the regular season, a deal like this would make the Raptors tough to beat, especially if they can pass the Cavaliers and get home court advantage throughout the playoffs.
