Why Nuggets Signed Tyus Jones to Round Out Roster

The Nuggets were linked to several veterans on the buyout market in the weeks following their trade deadline activity to leave one roster spot open on the books before the right veteran could fall into place and claim that role.

And after a few names came and went on the market, it would inevitably be Jones to be the one getting that nod from the Nuggets, who can now add a bit more depth to Denver's backcourt, and hopefully help round out this rotation a bit better as they get deeper into the regular season, and inevitably the postseason next month.

But why did the Nuggets decide to go with Jones over any other contributor that could've come aboard their roster as a finishing touch? Let's take a look.

Why Nuggets Went With Tyus Jones to Fill Out Roster

The main purpose behind targeting Jones as the guy who would ultimately fill out the Nuggets' roster comes down to two factors: adding more depth to their backcourt and bringing on another veteran who can handle the ball.

The Denver Post's Bennett Durando dove into a bit of intel behind the Nuggets' decision to sign Jones for the rest of the season, making it clear that the team has been in search of another veteran who can handle the ball.

Forward depth was another area of interest for the Nuggets to acquire, but the market for those players would dry up fairly quickly.

Khris Middleton, one of the more heavily rumored targets for Denver, would stay put with the Dallas Mavericks, other free agent forwards who fit that mold like Kyle Anderson and Haywood Highsmith found homes elsewhere, and thus led to the Nuggets taking a different direction for that last roster spot.

Enter Jones, who becomes a perfect fit for those veteran guard, ball-handling duties. He's someone who's been proven as a high-level passer that makes little mistakes with the ball, can be a positive addition for the flow of their offense, and can fit into the Nuggets' system quite nicely.

It's not to say there aren't some worries when projecting Jones' fit on the floor with the Nuggets. A lot of those rely on Jones' overall size and defensive upside, which might end up heavily limited once the postseason rolls around, and opposing offenses begin to target the 6-foot guard on the other end.

That is a fair concern. And that limited upside on the defensive end might just be what limits Jones' minutes once the playoffs roll around, especially when factoring in the strides that Denver needs to make on the defensive side as one of the league's bottom-ranked units in the NBA.

But as an experienced guard who can fill in for 10-15 minutes a night during the regular season to back up Jamal Murray, limit mistakes, while providing a nice boost on the offensive end, the addition makes sense, even if his acquisition has a bit of a lower ceiling than what other buyout additions could've brought in all things considered.