RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Dec 25, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Spencer Jones (21) reacts against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second half at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Amid the looming woes of the second apron, the Nuggets matched the two-year, $12 million offer sheet for restricted free agent Spencer Jones earlier this summer, in a move that essentially confirmed Peyton Watson’s exit from Denver .
This gave the 25-year-old forward a guaranteed salary of $6 million for both 2026-27 and 2027-28. But he recently explained that he would use only $100,000 from each year’s salary for living expenses, which is less than 2% of his annual income.
“I’m set to make $6M this year. After taxes, agent fees and jock taxes, I’m estimating I’ll actually have around $3.3M to allocate,” wrote Jones on X.
“Here’s how I’m thinking about it: Venture: 15-20%. It’s aggressive, but I’m 25, have a long time horizon, access to some really interesting opportunities through my network, and want venture to be a part of my career long after basketball.”
“Living expenses > 100K. That probably sounds surprising relative to the salary, but a lot is covered as an NBA player. Travel, meals, gear, etc. I’m also 25 and single. I have plenty of fun, and there just isn’t that much I feel the need to spend money on,” he explained .
“The remaining $2.5M+ goes toward the boring stuff. Index funds, savings, and some philanthropy. And that’s kind of the whole point. The biggest part of my financial plan is also the least exciting.
“When I was on a two-way contract, I told myself that if the bigger contract ever came, my lifestyle wouldn’t automatically grow with it. Now it’s here. The goal isn’t figuring out how much I can afford to spend. It’s figuring out how much freedom I can build,” Jones concluded.
If an athlete is getting only $3.3 million out of a $6 million contract, that means they are paying about 45% in taxes and agent fees. At age 25, Jones ideally has several more contracts left in his NBA career. However, making financially smart choices is more important than relying on a large cheque based on something that may not be there as you get older.
The 25-year-old ended the 2025-26 season with 70 games played for the Nuggets (including the playoffs), averaging 5.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 0.8 steals while shooting 51.6% from the field and 42.0% from three-point range. And given that his numbers don’t really stand out, he may not be in a position to earn a max contract at some point in his career. Therefore, the gravy train is not unlimited for a player like Spencer Jones.
While most players splurge their first big paychecks to celebrate the momentous occasion, some also take the most financially smart decisions with them by investing them in business. Spencer Jones hopes to be the latter.
Given his age, Jones’ strategy is especially noteworthy. Even though he has years of NBA paychecks ahead of him at age 25, he is already thinking about his finances beyond basketball. Jones seems determined to turn his NBA money into long-term wealth, investment opportunities, and financial freedom rather than letting his lifestyle grow along with his pay.
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