Nuggets forward Spencer Jones on track to play season opener at Thunder
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The gist
Nuggets forward Spencer Jones, out all preseason with a hamstring strain, is on track to play Thursday's opener.
Denver opens short-handed after losing Julian Strawther to a knee injury.
Background
Spencer Jones is a 25-year-old Nuggets wing who went undrafted out of Stanford in 2024 and missed all five of Denver's preseason games with a left hamstring strain. He tweaked the hamstring during a player development workout early in training camp. Jones is coming off a 2025-26 playoff run in which he averaged 5.5 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting an NBA-best 69.2% from three-point range. His return matters now because the Nuggets recently lost Julian Strawther to a sprained left knee, with re-evaluation in six weeks.
How it unfolded
- 2025 -2026 seasonSpencer Jones averaged 5.5 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting an NBA-best 69.2% from three-point range in the playoffs.
- July (year not stated)The Thunder extended a fully guaranteed two-year, $12 million offer sheet to restricted free agent Spencer Jones, giving the Nuggets a 48-hour window to match.
- Oct 4, 2026DeMar DeRozan scored his first basket as a Nugget in the first preseason game, held at the CU Event Center.
- Oct 16, 2026The Nuggets won their preseason finale over the Los Angeles Lakers, with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray shining and Trevon Brazile making big plays next to the starters.
- Oct 18, 2026Spencer Jones took part in a multi-minute scrimmage at Sunday's practice after missing all five preseason games.
- Oct 19, 2026Reports said Jones is on track to play in the season opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
- Oct 21, 2026The team's roster preview noted Denver starts the season with an open roster spot for a second straight year ahead of Thursday's opener in Oklahoma City.
- Oct 22, 2026The Nuggets open the season against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Oklahoma City.
Who’s saying what
- Player
- Spencer Jones said his availability for the opener is "not 100% confirmed," but that is how he is taking it as he rebuilds conditioning.
- Player
- Jones said it "felt good out there" in the scrimmage and the plan is to gradually build up and be ready for the first game.
Still unverified
Spencer Jones said his availability for the opener is "not 100% confirmed" as he works to rebuild his conditioning.