Who is Spencer Jones? Denver Nuggets’ newest two-way contract player

Spencer Jones spent five years at Stanford University, before going undrafted in the 2024 NBA Draft. In that half-decade, the 6’7” forward appeared in 146 games (starting 139 of them) and recorded 1610 points, 593 rebounds, and 315 made three-pointers. He also made 39.7% of his shots beyond the arc in his collegiate career and 40.9% from deep in the 2023-2024 college season.

Jones, who was dealing with an illness this last week, appeared in just one game for the Portland Trail Blazers this Summer League, recording a rebound and a block in a mere seven minutes. It is safe to say that Booth and the front office likely had him targeted as a potential two-way player prior to summer league beginning.

Nuggets GM Calvin Booth clearly has a type

Jones' 6’7” frame and activity on the defensive-end of the floor, along with the high-level perimeter shooting, make him a solid emergency option for the Nuggets. He enters the NBA at 23-years-old, representing the epitome of a “Calvin Booth type”. This does mean that unlike Trey Alexander, who has intriguing upside, Jones offers minimal upside in terms of a longer-term project. Despite this, he would be able to come in right away and soak up minutes at SF or PF if injuries hit Denver hard this upcoming season.

Now that Jones has agreed to the two-way deal, the Nuggets have filled all 18 roster spots, three of them being two-way contracts. The former Stanford Cardinal will be eligible to suit up for as many as 50 regular season games this season. Jones would not be eligible to suit up for any playoff games, unless his deal is converted to a fully guaranteed contract later in the season.

Does Jones have a path to playing time in Denver?

Given his age and ability, it's pretty unlikely that Jones will come in and crack the rotation for the Nuggets. He'll likely start the season with the G-League team and hope to impress. But, beyond the Nuggets' top 4 players, things are pretty wide open right now.

There is a real opportunity to be had for players to earn spots. Minutes aren't promised or guaranteed, especially outside of the starters. If Jones has an amazing camp and starts to turn some heads in the preseason or the G-League, he could definitely earn a shot with the Nuggets.