Kenneth Faried Out vs. Grizzlies with Back Injury

Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone announced Sunday Kenneth Faried will miss the team's game against the Memphis Grizzlies while dealing with back spasms, BSNDenver.com's T.J. McBride reported.

Faried is averaging 9.7 points and 7.8 rebounds a game in 2016-17.

The 27-year-old has seen his playing time steadily decline over the last three years. In 2014-15, he started 71 games and averaged 27.8 minutes a night on the floor. This season, he's playing a career-low 22 minutes a night.

ESPN.com's Marc Stein reported in January Denver was still attempting to trade Faried. He's under contract for two more years and a little over $26.6 million, per Spotrac, which almost certainly turns off any potential suitors.

With the 2017 trade deadline passed, Faried will remain with the Nuggets through at least the end of the regular season.

The Nuggets' trade of Jusuf Nurkic will likely result in a larger role for Faried since Mason Plumlee will spend the bulk of his time backing up center Nikola Jokic.

Malone will turn to Juan Hernangomez until Faried is healthy enough to return. The rookie forward is averaging 4.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.3 blocks.