A two-way player breaking out is one of the best surprises an NBA team can experience. That is, until everyone remembers that two-way players are ineligible for the NBA playoffs. That's the current situation with Denver Nuggets forward Spencer Jones — but there's no reason to worry for Nugs fans.
Spencer Jones is quickly becoming that breakout player for the Denver Nuggets. He's had two straight career nights, scoring 18 and then 26 points while filling in for Aaron Gordon in the starting lineup. As long as he remains on a two-way contract, Jones will not be eligible for the NBA Playoffs, which the Nuggets will surely participate in.
That doesn't mean Jones is guaranteed to miss the postseason, though. If the Nuggets convert him from a two-way deal to a standard NBA contract before the end of the year, Jones will become eligible for the postseason roster. Good news — the Nuggets currently only employ 14 standard NBA contracts, meaning they would not have to cut anyone if they decide to convert Jones into that 15th standard deal.
Spencer Jones is repaying the Nuggets' trust in him
The Nuggets have given Jones spot minutes throughout the year; from the start, it's been clear they believe in him to be a productive player. With Gordon sidelined, he's gotten a much bigger opportunity, and he's made the most of it.
Jones isn't going to score around 20 points every game for the rest of the year. When Gordon comes back, his minutes will decrease substantially. But he's done enough in this opportunity to show that he can hold his own on the court, and that might be enough to earn himself a standard NBA deal and a trip to the playoffs.
Sometimes, when undrafted two-way players pop off for an NBA team, it's clear why an NBA team took a chance on them, whether it's insane college production or top-flight athleticism. Neither of those are the case with Jones, though, which makes this a more impressive developmental story for the team.
Jones was a good, but somewhat unremarkable, player at Stanford. He was a five-year college player who never averaged more than 14.1 points per game, he has a solid but not overwhelming frame, and even in the G League he was good but not dominant.
And still... Jones is getting a shot in the NBA and early returns suggest he'll be around for a long time.