Spencer Jones is back on the Denver Nuggets’ radar, and his return could force some uncomfortable decisions in the rotation.
Jones has been removed from the injury report and is expected to play Saturday afternoon against the Indiana Pacers in Mexico City. Bennett Durando of the Denver Post reported that Denver and Jones had been aiming for that game as the target date after an extended recovery from a hamstring strain.
Spencer Jones and the Nuggets have been targeting tomorrow’s game in Mexico City for his return throughout this week, per source. He’s not listed on the injury report.
- Bennett Durando (@BennettDurando) November 6, 2026
Denver should welcome Jones back with open arms. He brings defense, three-point spacing, and a steadier presence to the group.
The tricky part is figuring out where he fits now that Trevon Brazile and Bryce Hopkins have both played well while Jones has been out. That’s the real puzzle for the Nuggets heading into Saturday.
If the starters handle their usual responsibilities and DeMar DeRozan is available after missing last Wednesday’s game with back spasms, Denver may not have room for all three forwards at once. The Nuggets could stretch into an 11-man rotation to make it work, or they could trim one of those pieces from the mix.
One possible setup has Hopkins being the odd man out in a 10-man rotation, with Cam Johnson staggered into second-unit minutes. In that version, Brazile would check in first and log extended time alongside Jokic before leaving the floor during stretches without Jokic. DeRozan would then slide to backup shooting guard, while Johnson and Jones fill the forward spots and help keep the floor spaced.
That arrangement would leave Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray on their usual heavy workloads, with Marvin Bagley III backing up center and Tyus Jones handling reserve point guard duties. Those minutes would stay mostly intact.
For Jones’ first game back, a 14-minute role feels like the starting point. That number could climb if he looks sharp right away, and it would not be surprising if some of those minutes come at Brazile’s expense. The Nuggets may not love the squeeze, but the staff clearly trusts Jones and wants him back on the floor so he can work his way back toward last season’s level.
Of course, none of this is locked in. Denver could go with an all-bench unit, or it could use 11 players and spread the minutes even thinner. However it shakes out, the Nuggets are probably going to have to make some tough calls with the second unit, and there may be some short-term growing pains while they sort it out.
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