The Nuggets are looking to get anything they can from the young players on the summer league roster this season, but one that they may not be expecting much from shone on Tuesday. Undrafted rookie, Curtis Jones, out of Iowa State, stole the show in Denver’s 101-97 loss to the Raptors, leading the team with 20 points on 8/10 shooting, including 3/4 from three-point range.
Jones stepped in and looked like a comfortable, scoring savant. He got into the lane and showed off a nice floater game, he moved around the perimeter burying threes, he got to the basket, and he got out in transition. He truly showcased an impressive three-level scoring game while pitching in 7 rebounds and 2 assists.
Curtis Jones dropped 2️⃣0️⃣ points tonight! #MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/qiUNXdXLIL
— AltitudeTV (@AltitudeTV) July 16, 2025
Last season, Jones transferred to Iowa State, where he won the nation’s 6th Man of the Year Award and earned First-Team All-Big 12 honors. However, the 23-year-old, 6’4” guard was not selected in the NBA Draft, and the Nuggets were able to add him to their summer league squad.
This was the first time Jones has stood out for Denver, but he has proven that he can stroke it from distance already. He made 2/6 threes in game one, scoring 8 points, and drilled 2/4 threes in the second game, totaling 10 points, but Tuesday’s showing was different; that was a breakout.
Uphill battle for Jones to make Nuggets roster
As great as this performance was, Jones is going to have to do more to earn a roster spot. The Nuggets can still add another player and another two-way player, so the spots are there, but there is a lot of competition.
Jones has a skill that the Nuggets desperately need in three-point shooting, which may give him an edge, but his inexperience may work against him. Denver wants to win a title this season and for the foreseeable future. There may not be a lot of opportunity to develop young players and live through growing pains along the way.
Hopefully, Jones continues to impress at summer league and earns an invite to training camp. From there, if he keeps showing out, who knows? Maybe he does get a chance to ride the bench for the Nuggets next season.
Or maybe they can at least find a way to get him on a two-way contract and let him go to work for Grand Rapids in the G-League this season. The roster may be loaded now, but in this current CBA, apron era, we know that won’t last for long. The Nuggets will need cheap, young players coming up through their system. With any luck, Curtis Jones can be one of them.