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Iman Shumpert-Kenneth Faried trade talks intensify between Knicks and Nuggets

The possible departure of Kenneth Faried would mean more minutes for J.J. Hickson. (Bart Young/Getty Images)

The possible departure of Kenneth Faried would mean more minutes for J.J. Hickson. (Bart Young/Getty Images)

The Knicks and Nuggets may be on the verge of another big trade as conversations between the two teams are reportedly centered on a deal that would send Iman Shumpert to Denver and Kenneth Faried to New York.

According to the report Wednesday from Frank Isola of the New York Daily News, conversations between the two organizations "have intensified in recent days," although no deal is imminent. The talks were reportedly started because the Knicks are looking to fix a banged up front court that currently has All-Star center Tyson Chandler sidelined for four to six weeks and Amar'e Stoudemire and Kenyon Martin on a minutes restriction.

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The Nuggets and Knicks have had a fairly storied history as trade partners, dating back to when then-general manager Scott Layden decided to send Marcus Camby, Nene and Mark Jackson to Denver in exchange for Antonio McDyess in 2002. Most recently - and most notably - the two teams completed a deadline deal in 2011 that sent Anthony to the Knicks in exchange for a young core that included Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Felton and Timofey Mozgov.

It's not clear what other pieces would be included in the possible Shumpert-Faried trade, but the deal would bring more stability to a Knicks frontcourt that has struggled in recent years to defend the paint, with much of the pressure riding on Chandler, a former Defensive Player of the Year.

Faried, who turns 24 next week, averaged 11.5 points and 9.2 rebounds in 28 minutes per game. Losing Faried wouldn't be such a blow to Denver, as the club could easily plug the recently acquired J.J. Hickson into the lineup for more minutes. Last season for the Portland Trail Blazers, Hickson averaged 12.7 points and 10.4 rebounds in 29 minutes per game.

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