This has been a season full of pleasant surprises for the Nuggets, but perhaps nothing sums that up better than the rise of Spencer Jones. The second-year, undrafted wing out of Stanford entered the season on a two-way contract, expected to spend most of his time in the G League with the Grand Rapids Gold.
But during camp and preseason, Jones played his way onto the team and earned a spot on the fringe of the rotation. His defense got him on the floor for Denver, and as guys started dropping out with injuries, his role only grew. Now, we’re halfway through the season, and Jones has been an integral part of the team, appearing in 36 games, starting 25, and giving the Nuggets 22.2 minutes per game of rock-solid play on both ends of the court.
The only problem for the Nuggets is that, thanks to Jones’ two-way contract, he’s only eligible to play in 50 games this season before losing his eligibility. It’s paramount that the Nuggets convert his contract and give him a roster spot, ensuring he’ll continue to be part of the rotation and will be eligible for the playoffs.
Nuggets plan to convert Jones' contract
According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, that’s exactly what they intend to do, as he reported on Friday, “Jones will eventually have his contract converted to a standard NBA deal, league sources told HoopsHype.”
Doing anything other than this would be insane, of course, but it’s still good to see that it’s being reported as a done deal, essentially. The Nuggets are $402K over the luxury tax, and we know that’s a cost that the owners are not keen to incur. So, despite having an open roster spot, converting Jones’ deal may not be that straightforward.
They will likely make a cost-cutting move somewhere along the roster, almost certainly dumping one of Zeke Nnaji, Hunter Tyson, or Julian Strawther to free up some money. While it’s unfortunate that the owners are likely forcing the front office to do that, they absolutely must prioritize Jones.
His breakout has been massive for them this season, and they need to take advantage by signing him to a multi-year, team-friendly deal. That’s exactly what they’re going to need to keep this Jokic title window going: to hit on some cheap, young lottery tickets. Jones would fit that mold to a tee, and ensuring that he’s here for the next few years is an obvious piece of business to get done in the coming weeks.