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Nuggets’ Tyus Jones On Helping Nikola Jokić And Jamal Murray Win Another NBA Title
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- Nuggets’ Tyus Jones On Helping Nikola Jokić And Jamal Murray Win Another NBA Title
Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images
As he pondered about what it will take to contend in a crowded Western Conference, Denver Nuggets guard Tyus Jones appeared as steady as when he plays on the court.
He's aware that the Nuggets have not won an NBA championship since 2023. He's aware that the Nuggets have dealt with frequent roster turnover and injuries. He's aware the Nuggets have struggled to find the right roster combinations around Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray ever since their NBA title run.
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After wrapping up another training session to solidify team chemistry, however, Jones remained bullish on whether the Nuggets have the needed supporting cast around their two stars.
"The better that we play, the less that is on their plate," Jones told Fadeaway World. "That's what we're trying to focus on with being as consistent as possible. We know that they're going to do their job. So we have to do ours."
The Nuggets are still considered a viable Western Conference contender because they have NBA championship equity, an MVP candidate (Jokić), and other All-Star caliber players (Murray, Aaron Gordon ). But is that enough to unseat the defending NBA champions ( New York Knicks ), their NBA Finals opponent ( San Antonio Spurs ), and the 2025 NBA title team ( Oklahoma City Thunder )? That could also largely depend on Denver's depth.
The Nuggets enter Friday's pre-season finale against the Los Angeles Lakers with question marks on Julian Strawther , who had an MRI on Thursday after injuring his left knee in Wednesday's pre-season loss to the LA Clippers . The Nuggets also dealt Peyton Watson in a multi-team trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Cleveland's 2031 first-round pick and Sacramento's 2032 second-round pick after failing to agree to terms on a contract extension. But the Nuggets also made some key signings by acquiring a proven scorer on a relative discount ( DeMar DeRozan ) and an intriguing backup center ( Marvin Bagley III ). They also retained Jones, who has often been the NBA's best player in assist-to-turnover ratio because of his strong decision-making and adaptability.
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"He doesn't overthink it," Nuggets coach David Adelman said. "I think a lot of guys get into these situations where they overdribble and they take one more dribble, one more step. That's not Tyus. That's why guys like playing him, too, because they know if they're where they're supposed to be with proper spacing and all of these things, you're going to get rewarded. So it's really nice to have a professional point guard."
Jones spoke to Fadeaway World on how he will make life easier for Jokić and Murray, details about Jokić's work ethic behind the scenes, and Murray's clutch shooting. Jones also detailed what it was like to get traded from Orlando to Charlotte and then to Dallas last season, only to get waived after eight games .
Editor's note: The following one-on-one conversation has been edited and condensed.
What have been your takeaways from camp so far?
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Jones:"It's been great. Obviously, I joined the team at the end of last season. So I got a little familiar with Denver, the team and the organization and the guys. So coming into this season, I'm hitting the ground running. I'm now familiar with everything. I'm familiar with the city. The family is comfortable. So it's been good."
What were you able to do this summer that makes you feel more comfortable?
Jones: "Just being in the gym every day, being in the facility and being around the staff. I was around some of the young guys who were in market all summer. Then I was around some of the guys that would pop into town every couple of weeks. It was time invested, man. I was building that chemistry. There's something to do that."
What are the things that you've learned with managing the second unit and then the times you get to play with Jokić and Gordon?
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Jones:"I think it's the system, where guys are supposed to be and where guys like to be. I learned different actions that each person likes to run, how each person succeeds and how the team succeeds. As a point guard, you got to get familiar with that stuff and you got to understand it like the back of your hand. That just comes with time and comes with reps. So I'm feeling more comfortable going into the season with those types of things.
There was a lot on my plate [last season]. That comes with it. So you just have to figure it out as best as you can. They tried to not overload me with too much on my plate. When I was out there, they tried to help me keep it simple. But I wasn't playing too much. So a lot of it was just watching and observing and trying to learn and download everything. But it was good. It was definitely a helpful time for me now that I'm going into this season."
You have said this is a business. But can you paint a picture on what it was like to get traded multiple times in a two-day span before the deadline?
Jones:"It was hectic and kind of chaotic. But that's part of the business. You don't really know what's going to happen until it happens. That just comes with it. So you have to make the most of your present day and where you're at. Denver welcomed me with open arms. I tried to do my best to show up and be the best version of myself and be the best teammate that I can be each and every day."
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At that point in time, were you stationed until it got all settled? Or were you bouncing from place to place?
Jones:"When I got traded to Charlotte, I stayed in Orlando because I knew another move was coming. Then when I got traded to Dallas, I went to Dallas and then played for eight games. And then from there, I came to Denver. I was living out of suitcases. I was hotel living. I then ended up finding a place out in Denver and lived there for the rest of the year. So I got comfortable.
But coming into the season now, I'm really able to get situated. Everything is nice. But it was a chaotic time period for me. I hadn't really dealt with that before. I had been traded once before, but that was in the offseason, though (Memphis to Washington in 2023). With that, you get a little bit more downtime to get adjusted and get to your new destination. That was different with being in season. But that comes with it. Unfortunately for me, that was the first time in 11 years where I was traded in-season. I can't really complain too much."
Did your family come with you, or did they stay put because this was all so fluid?
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Jones:"They didn't come with me to Dallas. But they came with me to Denver. That was nice. It's great when family can make that trip with you. It's chaotic for them as well. But it makes it a little bit easier, knowing that they're with me."
Given there has been so much roster fluidity since the Nuggets' 2023 NBA title run with roster turnover and injuries, what can you and the rest of the group do to relieve pressure off of Jokić and Jamal?
Jones:"We're trying to do our part every day. We're trying to be as consistent as possible. A lot of our starters do the heavy lifting. We know that they have so much on their plate that we're going to do our best each and every night to take some of that pressure off of them. The better that we play, the less that is on their plate. That's what we're trying to focus on with being as consistent as possible. We know that they're going to do their job. So we have to do ours."
What do you think the second unit can be?
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Jones:"I think we can be dynamic. I think we can bring different looks. Obviously, DeMar is a Hall-of-Fame player and scorer. So he's going to be our focal point with our second unit. We have talented guys that can play off of him in Bagley, Spencer Jones and Julian. We also have some rookies that are ready to contribute. We can throw different looks at teams. But I think as a unit, we'll be ready to contribute and ready to gel and match each and every day. We're looking to do our job and our role."
I presume this will be a season-long process. But what have been the early conversations in figuring out how to best tap into your passing and 3-point shooting, DeMar's mid-range game and everything else in between?
Jones:"We're trying to figure it out. Like you said, we'll figure it out throughout the season. That's what we're trying to do in preseason. We're figuring out that chemistry and that balance in how we want to play and what we're looking for. But so far, it's been great. We are communicating on and off the court. All of us are doing that. We're gelling well. Ultimately, we all want to win. We're all ready to sacrifice. Ultimately, that's what you need. As long as we're winning ball games at the end of the day, we'll be good."
You've played with a lot of good point guards in your career. What makes Jamal unique?
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Jones:"It's his shot-making ability. He's been one of the best shotmakers that I've been around. He thinks the game at a high level and is extremely crafty. You can't give him any daylight, or he's going to make you pay. His two-man game with Jokić is deadly. But overall, he's one of the tougher shot-makers that I've played with, for sure. He makes it look easy. Every night in a game you watch, he's making a tough one. It almost seems like the tougher the shot, the higher the possibility that it is going to go in. He's just a gamer. He always rises to the occasion. He's always ready to go. He does a lot for this team."
Now that you've working Jokić up close, what have you noticed on how he manages everything?
Jones:"I love how professional he is. He doesn't take any days off. He's always in the facility. He's always working to get better. That's probably something that people don't assume. But his work ethic is something that jumped out to me right when I got there. This dude is always trying to get better. He takes his job extremely seriously. He's obviously super smart. He has a high basketball IQ. He sees the game at a different level than anybody else. He's always working to continue to improve. That's something that I appreciate. It's not like he's satisfied with where he is at."
If you get staggered minutes with Jokić, what will you do to try to establish chemistry?
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Jones:"I'll try to get the two-man game going. We both think the game at a high level. So I'm trying to break down the defense with what they're doing and make reads on the fly. I'm just trying to make our teammates' jobs easy as well."
Part of that is how great you have been as one of the best at assist-to-turnover ratio every season. How do you do that even when joining a new team?
Jones: "It's about having quality possessions and knowing what we're trying to get to. It's about walking that fine line when knowing when to push it and know when to be reserved. I think with this group, everyone thinks the game at such a high level. So it's kind of easy to value those possessions to make the right reads a lot of times. It's about trying to build that chemistry and trying to build the system.
It's about knowing the schemes and knowing your teammates with where they like to be. It's about knowing where they thrive at and what positions they can succeed at a high level. That all comes with being a point guard. Obviously, the more time and reps I get, the easier it is. But I just try to study as much as possible so I can get ahead of that learning curve."
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The Nuggets have been in the mix. But the West is pretty stacked. What leaves you optimistic you all can contend?
Jones: "We believe in our group. We believe in the guys that we got in that locker room. We believe in our coaching staff and our training staff. Everyone believes in one another in the building. If we focus on ourselves, everything will take care of itself."
Mark Medina is an NBA contributor to Fadeaway World. Follow him on X , Blue Sky , Instagram , Facebook and Threads .
