Bones Hyland Could Give Timberwolves the Best Bang for Their Buck This Season

Bones Hyland exudes joy at almost all times — on the court during Minnesota Timberwolves games, on the bench, at the practice facility on off days and throughout the Minnesota community. He carries with him a smile that lights up those around him and a plug-and-play skill set that helped keep the Timberwolves’ season afloat last year.

When FOX 9’s Pierre Noujaim asked Hyland about his future, ahead of a summer in which he was going to enter unrestricted free agency, he cracked that same contagious smile as he weighed in on his future.

“I want to come back, man,” Hyland said in April. “This is home for me. They took me in with open arms. This is where I want to be.”

Hyland's new contract

Two months later, in late June, Hyland and the Timberwolves agreed to a one-year veteran’s minimum contract with a $2.8 million cap hit in 2026-27. And for a player who manned a vital role for the Wolves last season, entrenched himself in the community, and will be an important piece again this year, that is great value for a Timberwolves team hard-pressed for cap space.

“I think this was like a revive year for me,” Hyland said during his exit interview in May. “Obviously, coming off of not playing [for] two years, then coming over here and having an opportunity to play, it’s been a blessing. It’s been a tribute to the work I’m putting in, and also a thanks to the front office and coaching staff for believing in me and giving me a chance to just play and contribute to a winning team.”

Hyland earned Minnesota’s backup point guard spot in mid-December last year, beating out Rob Dillingham. It was his first consistent opportunity in an NBA rotation in two years. He made the most of that opportunity by averaging 8.5 points and 2.6 assists on 45.3% from the floor and 38.8% from deep in 16.6 minutes over 71 regular season games.

Personally, I believe Hyland proved not just to the Timberwolves but to the NBA as a whole that he is still a rotation-level on-ball creator. I thought he played himself out of a minimum-level contract. I predicted that he would re-sign with the Wolves on a two-year, $10 million deal, maybe with that second year being non-guaranteed.

Obviously, now, that $5 million salary was a pretty significant overestimation, but a contract at that level would not necessarily have been an overpay for the type of production Hyland gave the Wolves.

Earning the contract

Hyland was an electric, always-confident on-ball combo guard who leaned more heavily into playing like a point guard because that is what the Wolves needed. He was a consistent threat to pull up from deep and kept the ball moving with what he views as an underrated playmaking ability.

Arguably just as important as his production, Hyland’s persistent smiles, joy, and excitement on a day-to-day basis offered a much-needed upbeat beam of light for a team that will be remembered as moody, immature, and growing apart when things went wrong.

Bones Hyland NBA Timberwolves — Mar 22, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Bones Hyland (8) reacts after making a basket during the first half against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Hyland scored a season-high 23 points twice. The most memorable of the two was when he did it against the Boston Celtics on the road on March 22, dishing out five assists on 8-of-14 shooting and 5-of-7 from deep. He was a +26 in 29 minutes, leading the Wolves — without Anthony Edwards — to their first win in Boston since 2004.

That performance was the perfect encapsulation of Hyland’s season, which was filled with loud moments, energetic plays, and plenty of celebrations.

We 👁️👁️ you Bones Hyland!

Handles.
Deep 3.
Celly.

Timberwolves lead in the 3Q on Prime! pic.twitter.com/f5p3UqWcDo
— NBA (@NBA) April 24, 2026

Hyland also unveiled a 3-point celebration that earned the moniker “Skelly Celly,” connecting him with the Minnesota fanbase. After he would knock down a three, many fans at Target Center began hitting the “Skelly Celly” in unison with Hyland.

He made 116 threes last season, the fourth most on the Wolves, and he did so on the highest three-point percentage of his career (38.8%) excluding the 2024-25 season, where he shot 39% but only played in 24 games. Hyland provided an offensive spark off Minnesota’s bench when only he and Naz Reid could. Before the trade deadline, the Wolves ranked 23rd in total bench points scored. They also severely lacked point guard play.

Hyland played a key role in patching both of those holes.

Looking ahead at Hyland's role next season

Entering this season, the Wolves did away with the patchwork that Hyland provided and completely filled their point guard need by acquiring LaMelo Ball, who will go from mocking Hyland’s “Skelly Celly” to doing it in unison with him this season.

But even with Ball on the team, Hyland is still the only natural on-ball guard outside of Zyon Pullin, who is on a two-way deal. Terrence Shannon Jr. can also operate as a point guard, but with his size (6’6”, 220 pounds) and Minnesota’s lack of size, the Wolves would likely be better off leveraging him as more of a forward, perhaps alongside Hyland off the bench.

Depending on how Chris Finch’s rotation shakes out, Hyland could be asked to once again shoulder a good chunk of Minnesota’s shot creation off the bench. If Finch starts Ball, Edwards, Ayo Dosunmu, Jaden McDaniels, and Rudy Gobert, then his bench would include Hyland, Shannon, Josh Green, Joan Beringer, and maybe Jaylen Clark or Trey Lyles.

If that happens, Hyland and Shannon would be the only true on-ball creators Finch could summon off his bench. Or maybe Finch gets creative and starts Green or Shannon, moving Dosunmu to the bench. Then that would mean a reunion of the "Twin Turbos" — another moniker fans gave Hyland and Dosunmu for their collective high-octane speed.

The Wolves will be in less dire need for a player like Hyland this year. But they will still need his on-ball scoring to back up Ball, and will benefit from his off-ball three-point shooting alongside him. The Wolves will still need Hyland’s scoring and passing. They will also need his energy, joy, and smiles on a day-to-day basis. And getting all of that back on a veteran’s minimum deal is great value for Minnesota.

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