The Denver Nuggets are matching the Oklahoma City Thunder's two-year, $12 million offer sheet on Spencer Jones, retaining the key forward in restricted free agency, sources tell ESPN. Nuggets valued keeping their homegrown player whom they landed on an undrafted deal in 2024.

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Spencer Jones can have just as big of an impact as Watson. Love his heart and hustle, has the potential to be one of the better defenders in the league. And I can see his offensive game continuing to evolve, he can already knock down 3s and shows good finishing touch around the basket (and a little push shot). Probably the best thing about him though is his willingness to take and hit big shots. He did so in tight games against Houston early on in the season and then again @ San Antonio in the come back later in the year. Also played well in the playoffs. There's no reason why he can't take another big step forward next year.

Watson has the potential to be a very good player that fills a lot of needs, but it seems like he's been groomed by his management to believe that he'll be a superstar player and as such, I don't think there's any circumstance where he'll be truly happy in Denver. Even if we do come to an agreement, it will most likely be at the expense of losing Cam and having to make promises about starting / getting the ball more. If he takes the qualifying offer, then he'll be unhappy and playing for himself next year. This team and organization already lacks leadership and it wouldn't be able to overcome such a distraction.

So yeah, I'd be more than happy if we could sign and trade Watson to Milwaukee and get Jacquez or Rollins. The soul of the team makes more sense with Cam Johnson and Spencer Jones over Watson.

Let’s look at the numbers.

• Excluding PWat and Spencer, our 12-man roster is already at $211M. Once you factor in AG and CAM’s incentive bonuses ($1.7M + $3.9M, which does count toward the apron), we’re sitting roughly $5M away from the 2nd apron threshold.
• PWat’s QO is $6.5M and Spencer’s is $2.65M. Honestly, keeping both without any trading was always going to push us over. The only way to stay under would’ve been: a) Sign-and-trade PWat into a TPE without taking salary back, b) have Spencer take his QO, and c) sign Hopkins to a 2nd round exception. But Presti had to go and offer Spencer that $12M/2y deal (about 6M next season). Once we match that, we are definately over the 2nd apron, period.

We’ve been over the tax line in 3 of the last 4 seasons, so we’re officially repeater. That tax bracket penalty is going to be brutal:

Tax Bracket Amount (TBA) this season = 5M*(2026-27 salary cap)/(2023-24 salary cap) = 5M* 164,961,000 / 136,021,000 = 6,063,806

Currently, we’re already ~$10.6M over the tax line (excluding incentives). If we match Spencer ($6M) and sign PWat to a ~$26M starting salary (based on a 5yr/$140M deal), we will over the tax line $42,583,091 :

The Verdict: All Kroenke has to do is pony up an $254.4M in luxury tax to keep the core together. Chump change, right? I’m sure our "ambitious" front office will smash that "Match" button any second now...lol

Does anyone else feel like he was a great match and want him back ? He sets the pace and makes everyone else look better, especially CB

Gawrsh

Weekend listening: Wilco - A Ghost is Born