Nuggets Could Delay New Contract for Spencer Jones

After a 102-100 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, Denver Nuggets' standout forward Spencer Jones has just five games of NBA eligibility left on his two-way contract before he's unable to play another game without signing a traditional contract.

Jones, one of the Nuggets' top rotational pieces who's started for over half of the team's games to this point, has cemented he's more than worthy of landing a roster spot for the rest of the year once that deadline arrives.

Denver, of course, would also like to keep him past his two-way deal, but with the trade deadline right around the corner, while also looking to avoid any luxury tax penalties, it looks like that process could take a bit longer than expected.

According to a report from Bennett Durando of The Denver Post, the Nuggets have communicated their interest to Jones about signing him past his two-way contract, but are preparing for his eligibility to run out for "at least a few games" before making a decision on a new deal.

"You want to figure out, where you've got a championship push, everything you need to make that push. So yeah, I always knew the decision wasn't going to be until the deadline, (that it) won't be decided until around then," Jones said, via Bennett Durando of The Denver Post.

"I may run out of games before then. So they've mentioned the possibility of sitting out one or two just 'cause. So we'll see how it pans out."

Nuggets Could Wait to Sign Spencer Jones to Traditional Contract

Rather than getting ahead of the curve and signing Jones to a traditional contract before his two-way deal runs out of time, that process might see a slight delay of a few games as Denver figures out the ins and outs of its roster at a critical point in the year.

When factoring in the timing, along with the bigger financial and roster space implications for the Nuggets, it's not too shocking to expect Denver to wait a short time, possibly after the NBA trade deadline, to ink him to a new contract, and a much-deserved pay increase with it.

In his second season with Denver, Jones has put together a career season, playing in 41 games on just over 23 minutes a night, averaging 6.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 0.9 assists, shooting efficiently around the floor at 51.4% from the field and 39.4% from three.

Combine that with the strong skillset and versatility Jones offers on the wing, and there's a clear place for him in the rotation in the midst of Denver's title run hopes, which will certainly materialize further once everyone in the rotation is healthy and on the floor.