Spencer Jones (hamstring) questionable vs. OKC

Jones strained his left hamstring early in training camp and did not play in any of the Nuggets’ preseason games. He’s made positive strides in his recovery, most recently doing some scrimmaging during Sunday’s practice. Following the session, Jones said that he expects to be available for Sunday’s opener. If Jones plays, there may be fewer minutes available to rookie Trevon Brazile, who played well in the Nuggets’ final preseason games.

With Aaron Gordon sitting out Friday’s preseason finale, the Nuggets inserted Brazile into the starting lineup. The rookie, who dropped 22 points on Wednesday against the Clippers, had another solid outing to end his first preseason. Brazile may not play heavy minutes, but he’s clearly done enough to crack the Nuggets’ rotation right away.

The 35th overall pick in this past summer’s draft, Brazile had his most productive night of the preseason on Wednesday. The 6-foot-10 forward/center shot 80 percent from the field, and his final line lacked only an assist. Based on playing time, Brazile has already leapfrogged former first-round picks Zeke Nnaji and DaRon Holmes II in the frontcourt pecking order. He may not get the minutes needed to impact fantasy basketball once the regular season begins, but Brazile needs to be rostered in dynasty leagues.

The rookie out of Arkansas tied Julian Strawther for team lead in minutes, and he had a serviceable night, going 3-of-4 from the field and making an impact on defense. Denver doesn’t boast a deep bench, especially in the frontcourt, so Brazile has a real chance to earn meaningful rotation minutes in Year 1.

The Nuggets’ decision to match the Thunder’s offer sheet comes less than 48 hours after OKC’s initial offer. Jones, who averaged 5.5 points and 3.3 rebounds across 64 games last regular season, should remain a solid piece off Denver’s bench for the 2026-27 campaign. He’s mostly a three-point specialist who can provide some perimeter defense as well during his minutes, but is unlikely to move high enough up Denver’s depth chart to have any fantasy value next season.

Jones is a restricted free agent, so the Nuggets still have the opportunity to match the contract and keep him. If not, this was a wise bit of maneuvering by the Thunder as they were able to offer Jones using the Taxpayer mid-level exception after getting under the second apron by trading Lu Dort. Jones averaged 5.5 points in 22.5 minutes per game during the regular season last year, but stepped up during the playoffs, shooting 69 percent from three-point range.

Brazile did not have his best night shooting the basketball, but the second-round pick still showed why Denver made sure to draft him. Active on the glass and defensively, the 6-foot-10 forward finished with another solid stat line. Like fellow second-round pick Bryce Hopkins, Brazile has not yet agreed to a contract, with Peyton Watson’s free agency likely a factor. However, he has the potential to contribute immediately for the Nuggets because of his athleticism and motor.

Brazile put forth his best performance of the summer on Tuesday, and he was on fire from the start. The second-round pick scored 19 points in the first half, ending it with a long three from just inside the half-court line as time expired. Brazile would score 13 more after halftime, more than holding his own against a Thunder frontcourt headlined by lottery pick Aday Mara. Because of Peyton Watson’s restricted free agency, Brazile’s contract status has not been finalized, but games like Tuesday’s likely increase his chances of landing a standard deal.

Brazile made his first summer league appearance on Friday, and he struggled to finish around the basket. The former Arkansas forward/center shot 2-of-7 from two, but he was active on the boards with a game-high 11 rebounds. Like fellow rookie Bryce Hopkins, Brazile has not finalized a contract as the Nuggets attend to other affairs, most notably Peyton Watson’s restricted free agency. With DaRon Holmes II a full year removed from his Achilles tear and Zeke Nnaji yet to pan out, there may be opportunities for Brazile off the bench, mainly as a defender and rebounder.

After one season at Missouri, the 6-foot-10 Brazile spent the next four at Arkansas. He saved his best for last, averaging 13.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.6 blocks and 1.3 three-pointers in 31.5 minutes per game, all career-high numbers. Part of the Darius Acuff Jr.-led team that won the SEC tournament in March, Brazile shot 52.5 percent from the field, 34.1 percent from three and 71.7 percent from the foul line. The Nuggets need frontcourt depth, especially if the Aaron Gordon trade rumors lead to a move. Brazile’s athleticism and defensive ability will give him an opportunity to earn rotation minutes off the bench.