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Report: Wolves chose Bones Hyland over other options for guard depth

It's now confirmed that Hyland will be back with the Timberwolves on a full NBA contract.
Will Ragatz|
Dec 27, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Bones Hyland (5) warms up prior to the game against the Golden State Warriors at Intuit Dome.
Dec 27, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Bones Hyland (5) warms up prior to the game against the Golden State Warriors at Intuit Dome. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

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Minnesota Timberwolves

What appeared to be in the works a month ago has now been confirmed: The Timberwolves are bringing back guard Bones Hyland on a full NBA contract to add to their depth.

Wolves insider Jon Krawczynski and national reporter Michael Scotto both had the news on Monday afternoon. Krawczynski added that Minnesota "chose him over other candidates to add depth to the guard rotation."

The Timberwolves themselves then announced the signing as official. Contract details have not yet been reported.

Hyland, who just turned 25, was a first-round pick by the Nuggets out of VCU in 2021. Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly was still calling the shots in Denver at the time. Hyland showed plenty of flashes of scoring ability off of the Nuggets' bench, but he was traded to the Clippers in February 2023. He then wound up joining the Wolves last season and appeared in four games in garbage time, also making a few appearances for Iowa in the G League.

Across 186 career regular season games, Hyland has averaged 9.5 points and 2.6 assists while shooting 40 percent from the floor, 36 percent from deep, and 85 percent from the line. He's averaged 20 points per 36 minutes in his career and has scored at least 20 points 19 times, highlighted by a 37-point outing with the Clippers in April 2024. Efficiency has been an issue, but Hyland has a real NBA-caliber scoring bag.

Krawczynski reported last month that the Wolves were exploring a few different options to add guard depth, but that Hyland was the favorite to receive what is essentially the team's final roster spot given their limited cap space under the second apron. Malcolm Brogdon, another name that was mentioned, recently signed with the Knicks. So did Landry Shamet. Cam Payne won't be back with the Knicks; he remains a free agent.

Whereas someone like Brogdon would've come in and potentially started at point guard, Hyland is more of a reserve who gives Minnesota some additional depth behind Anthony Edwards, Donte DiVincenzo, Mike Conley, Terrence Shannon Jr., Rob Dillingham and Jaylen Clark in the backcourt. He and Tristen Newton are probably on the outside of the rotation looking in, but things can always change.

Training camp begins this month.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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