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Nuggets Match Thunder Offer to Keep Spencer Jones

A large luxury-tax increase will limit Denver's roster flexibility, complicating its next moves on Peyton Watson.

Overview

  • Denver matched Oklahoma City's two-year, $12 million offer sheet for restricted free agent Spencer Jones, a decision sources reported late Sunday.
  • The offer sheet is fully guaranteed and was structured as roughly $6 million in year one and $5.75–6 million in year two as reported by salary analysts.
  • Matching Jones raises Denver's projected luxury-tax bill by about $32 million and pushes the franchise above the NBA's punitive second tax apron, which brings steeper penalties and narrower roster rules.
  • Oklahoma City is returned to an open 15th roster spot and retained cap flexibility, while Denver must now navigate restricted free agent Peyton Watson under tighter trade and signing constraints.
  • Denver prioritized Jones because he grew from a 2024 two-way signee into a rotation wing who averaged 5.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in 64 regular-season games and shot an extremely high percentage from three in a small playoff sample.