Nets’ Faried busted on marijuana charge

Veteran’s misstep could affect status with Brooklyn-based franchise

August 21, 2018 By John Torenli, Sports Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle

As the Nets make their final preparations for training camp, newly acquired power forward Kenneth Faried faced marijuana possession charges in Southampton, N.Y. AP Photo by David Zalubowski

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Newly acquired Nets power forward Kenneth Faried came to Downtown Brooklyn insisting he could serve in a leadership role for a young, budding team trying to rise from the ashes and become relevant again on the NBA landscape.

Instead, he got busted with a small bushel of buds.

“Brooklyn decided to pick up a still-able, capable player who can go out there, produce and lead a team,” Faried told reporters at the Nets’ HSS Training Center in Sunset Park earlier this month.

Just a few weeks later, Faried finds himself facing marijuana possession charges on Long Island, as first reported by TMZ Sports Tuesday morning.

The 6-foot-8-inch, 28-year-old Newark, N.J. native, known throughout his eighth-year career as “Manimal” for his ferocious style of play, was reportedly picked up on the Montauk Highway in Bridgehampton, N.Y., at 1:30 AM on Sunday morning.

He was in the back seat of the vehicle and allegedly in possession of two ounces of marijuana, which brings with it a 4th degree misdemeanor charge of unlawful possession.

If convicted, Faried could face up to a year in prison.

The Nets were quick to respond to queries regarding the incident, releasing a statement that indicated they were looking into the matter.

“We are aware of the situation involving Kenneth Faried and are in the process of gathering more information at this time,” the statement reads.

After averaging 11.4 points and 8.2 rebounds per game over his first seven NBA seasons with the Denver Nuggets, Faried came to Brooklyn — along with the since-traded Darrell Arthur — on Jul. 13, in exchange for Coney Island’s own Isaiah Whitehead.

Though many thought Faried may go the way of a salary dump, as had Dwight Howard before him this summer, Nets general manager Sean Marks indicated that the rebounding machine still had plenty to offer a Brooklyn team that made an eight-game improvement after going an NBA-worst 20-62 in 2016-17.

“I think he fits with that Brooklyn grit that we talk about in terms of how he plays; he plays with high intensity, obviously at a fast pace,” Marks noted.

A representative from the Southampton P.D. indicated that an officer at the scene noticed “strong odor of marijuana was emanating from the inside of the vehicle,” according to the TMZ report.

He was later released from the station on $500 bail.

Whether this will affect Faried’s status with the team as training camp approaches is yet to be decided.

Either way, it’s a rough start to Faried’s first foray into Brooklyn, where he had hoped to guide the Nets back into serious playoff contention following what has been a three-year postseason drought in our fair borough.