NBA Rumors: Latest Buzz Surrounding Kenneth Faried, Corey Brewer and More

Early in the NBA season rumors begin to swirl, and the buzz is usually centered on bad basketball teams. That's exactly the case regarding several rumors that recently surfaced on the Web.

We have some interesting pieces of information released from sources close to the struggling Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers. All three of those teams appear headed for lottery picks next year, so we should expect plenty of speculation from them over the course of the season.

So what's brewing within these organizations right now? Let's gossip.

Denver's Not Digging Faried

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

Power forward Kenneth Faried is a likable player. He really lit it up with Team USA over the summer, and due to his looks and style of play, fans have dubbed him The Manimal.

However, not everyone is a huge fan of the three-year veteran. According to a report from Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN.com, some members within the Nuggets organization are not too keen on Faried:

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Several sources around the league insist the Nuggets' hand was forced with regard to Faried. After the signing of [JJ] Hickson to a three-year, approximately $16 million contract soon after Connelly's arrival, the sense was the bouncy big man was insurance against Faried's departure in free agency in 2014. Faried was a fan favorite in Denver, but multiple sources with knowledge of the Nuggets' thinking maintain the team "isn't crazy about him," particularly Shaw.

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The addition of Hickson originally signified the possible departure of Faried due to an expiring contract. As we know, that didn't turn out to be the case, as Denver gave Faried a four-year, $50 million extension, via Spotrac.com.

In his report, Arnovitz suggests that the media craze over the power forward during his time with Team USA in Spain was a big reason why the Nuggets opted to keep him around. However, he did quote one source who said Faried "isn't well liked" and "thinks he's the guy."

Is he not as likable as a figure as we perceived, or is this just the result of some in-house animosity?

It will certainly be interesting to see how this locker room looks going forward, especially after this information was released. Will Faried and the Nuggets be able to coexist throughout his contract extension, or will the team's hand be forced once again? Stay tuned.

Corey Brewer Latest

Jim Mone/Associated Press

The past few days have been quite a whirlwind for Brewer. The shooting guard has been the subject of trade rumors and has been linked to several interested teams. ESPN's Marc Stein was the fist to report potential trade interest:

Due to the Timberwolves' current struggles, it was thought the team would be looking to undergo a youth movement. Brewer's contract of $4.7 million this season and $4.9 million next season, via Spotrac.com, certainly wouldn't be a part of the team's long-term plans, so moving him seemed to make sense.

Both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Houston Rockets seem to be fitting landing spots. Both teams can handle absorbing Brewer's salary, and the guard is also familiar with members of both franchises.

However, a tweet from Andy Greder of the St. Paul Pioneer Press expressed a different notion from Minnesota president Flip Saunders:

Perhaps the team isn't looking to move him as quickly as we originally anticipated; or that could simply be some coachspeak while he quietly deals with interested parties. You can be the judge.

Quincy Miller to Lakers?

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

The Lakers are in quite a bit of turmoil as they continue to deal with a massive amount of injuries. This team is still looking to bolster its roster in any way possible, and Bleacher Report's Kevin Ding tweeted one possible upcoming move:

Miller has yet to latch on with a team this season after spending two years in Denver. Last season, he played in 54 games, starting 16, and averaged 4.9 points and 2.8 rebounds while shooting 36.7 percent from the field in 15.2 minutes per game.

Los Angeles needs help on the perimeter, and Miller could be viewed by the team as an insurance policy to the soon-to-return Nick Young. But what about Xavier Henry?

We'll see what comes of this, but while Henry hasn't exactly boosted the Lakers' rotation much this season, he just came off a 33-point performance during a one-game assignment with the D-Fenders. Was this rumor leaked to motivate Henry, or will Miller be given a roster spot in the near future?

We won't know that answer until the team makes a move—or doesn't.