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BALLER MOVE: Add In 14-Team Leagues
OWNED IN: 34% of leagues
ANALYSIS: Technically, Kenneth Faried is not a member of the Houston Rockets yet, as the Rockets still need to clear out a roster spot for the recently-waived former Brooklyn Nets.
Looking solely at Faried's numbers, you might be surprised to see a 34 percent jump in ownership over the last week, because he hasn't been able to carve out a role in Brooklyn behind Jarrett Allen and Ed Davis. Faried has appeared in just 12 games this season, averaging 5.1 points and 3.7 rebounds in 9.8 minutes per game. He's hitting 64.9 percent of his two-point field goal attempts this year, a career-best mark, but it's hard to know if that's a trend when you take into his account his lack of playing time and his low usage.
So, why is everyone going wild over grabbing Faried?
Opportunity.
The Rockets are a mess up front right now. Clint Capela is out until the end of February and neither Marquese Chriss nor Isaiah Hartenstein have been able to crack the rotation with Capela out, which leaves Houston relying on an aging Nene and P.J. Tucker, who is best served playing the four for the Rockets but has had to start at center to help out during this period of need. Faried finds himself in a place where he'll be able to immediately step into a key role -- if not a starting role, then at least serious run off the bench at the five -- and whose best skills work really well with James Harden. Faried will function well as the roll man in pick-and-rolls for the Rockets and as a finisher near the basket; last season for Denver, Faried was in the 88th percentile in points per possession as the roll man, and the 78th percentile in transition scoring. Faried should be able to occupy a Capela-esque role on the offensive end.
Rebounding is a little more of an issue, as Faried has never averaged double-digit rebounds, and the 2012-2013 season was the last time he averaged a full block per game. He won't be the well-rounded fantasy option that Capela is, but you can likely get a guy who'll give you a decent knock-off version of Capela's role. There's fantasy value in that, though I'm not sold that it's as high as some people seem to think.
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