Bones Hyland sat at media day with his arms folded on the table. A reporter asked about Minnesota Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly, who drafted Hyland in 2021 while working for the Denver Nuggets.
“That’s my guy, man,” Hyland said, smiling. “ At the draft combine, he and the front office were in a room, I came in for my interview, and I had rapped one of my songs for them. Ever since then, we had a different connection, like a real close connection. … Just that belief he has in me, he has my back.”
Bones Hyland on his relationship with Tim Connelly
"That's my guy man. I remember, draft combine him and the front office — I had rapped one of my songs for them. Ever since then, we just have had a really good connection. — Just that belief he has in me, he has my back." pic.twitter.com/pRmE9xli1l
— Jonah (@Huncho_Jman) September 29, 2025
Hyland decided to re-sign with the Wolves this offseason after finishing the latter half of the year with the Wolves in 2024-25. Minnesota signed him for depth and security in case Mike Conley got injured or Rob Dillingham didn’t pan out.
However, after three preseason games and praise from Minnesota’s staff, it might be time to ask if Hyland can become Minnesota’s backup point guard.
First, it’s essential to understand how Hyland arrived at this point.
Hyland grew up in Delaware, on the same AAU circuits as his teammate, Donte DiVincenzo. Interestingly, all three professional men’s athletes from Delaware now play in Minnesota. DiVincenzo’s high school teammate Brian O’Neill plays for the Minnesota Vikings. In Hyland’s words, he faced adversity growing up.
“I grew up in a tough environment, so just being ready, you know?” he said after Tuesday’s preseason game against the Indiana Pacers. “Coming from where I come from, you just got to be ready. So this is nothing to me, just checking in, no matter what the score is, you gotta be ready in life.”
Bones Hyland on staying ready for his opportunities
“I grew up in a tough environment so just being ready, you know? Coming from where I come from you just got to be ready so this is nothing to me, just checking in, no matter what the score is, you gotta be ready in life” pic.twitter.com/bja6Zi29H0
— Andrew Dukowitz (@adukeMN) October 8, 2025
Hyland attended Virginia Commonwealth University. In his sophomore season, he rose up draft boards, averaging 19.5 points per game on 44.7% shooting. He took 7.8 threes per game and shot 37.1% from distance. A truly impressive percentage, given he was VCU’s primary scorer and teams focused on defending him.
His 4.7 rebounds from the shooting guard position, 2.1 steals, and 1.9 assists suggest he’s an all-around player who would translate to the NBA. Alas, he only played in 24 games due to a COVID-shortened season in 2020-21. His 6’2” frame and 6’9” wingspan had NBA teams intrigued by what the combo guard could become – offensively with his shooting but also defensively with his size.
Unfortunately, playing at VCU led many scouts to question whether his offense could translate to the NBA because he played in a mid-major conference. His physical size also concerned teams.
Hyland weighed in at just 169 pounds at the combine. He drew comparisons of Jamal Crawford and Jordan Clarkson, a lanky hooper who lacked the size to be a starter or a good enough defender. Still, he looked like someone who would get buckets off the bench.
Still, he showed promise and rapped well enough for Connelly to take the chance, selecting Hyland as the 26th pick in the 2021 draft.
Bones Hyland immediately earned playing time on that Nuggets team, appearing in 69 games and earning four starts. Hyland’s rookie season was inconsistent, but he finished the season averaging 10.1 points per game, shooting 36.6% from three. He pulled down 2.7 rebounds, dished out 2.8 assists, and finished the season with 2.4 win shares. He also appeared to be playing smart basketball with a 2.22 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Unfortunately, Hyland’s second season with the Nuggets quickly soured. Hyland reportedly grew frustrated with his bench role in Denver, which eventually led him to walk off the bench to the locker room before a game ended.
Hyland’s defensive issues also became apparent early on in that season. As a result, Nuggets GM Calvin Booth dealt Hyland to the LA Clippers and made a telling statement after the trade.
“I knew you couldn’t have two guys that couldn’t guard, and we couldn’t have two guys that were young and kind of more ‘me guys,'” Booth said. “Mike makes $30 million. He’s one of the best shooters in the NBA. So, Bones, there’s no place for you.”
Hyland played well for the Nuggets in the season before they traded him. His scoring increased to 12.1 points per game from his rookie season, and he shot 37.8% from three-point range.
However, Hyland struggled with his shot after Denver traded him to the Clippers. His three-point percentage fell by 2.7%, and his scoring decreased to 10.8 points per game. But Hyland continued to grow as a playmaker in Los Angeles, averaging a career-best 3.4 assists over the final 14 games and just 1.1 turnovers.
Still, Hyland fell flat in the 2022-23 playoffs. In 16.4 minutes per game, Hyland shot 34.1% from the floor, 25.0% from three. He averaged one assist per turnover in LA’s five playoff games and logged 1.8 fouls per game. In the offseason, the Clippers traded for James Harden, diminishing Hyland’s role.
Hyland only played in 37 games during the 2023-24 season, but he made five starts. The Clippers cut his minutes to 14.6 per game when he did play, and he posted his career-worst shooting numbers from the field (38.6%) and from three-point range (32.6%).
He struggled with his defense, and he would no longer get the tougher assignments playing alongside Harden instead of Paul George. Once the playoffs came around, Hyland was all but out of the rotation, logging only 12 minutes in three games.
In 2024-25, Hyland’s role diminished further to only 11.1 minutes per game in 20 appearances for the Clippers. However, he showed significant improvements in his shooting, averaging 7.2 points per game on 38.8% three-point shooting. However, Hyland never established a role, and the Clippers traded him to Atlanta along with Terance Mann for Bogdan Bogdanovic. The Hawks cut him immediately after the league approved the trade.
Hyland landed back with Connelly and made a good impression in Minnesota. In 17 minutes across four games for the Wolves, he shot 2 of 3 from the field and 1 of 2 from three for five points. The three shots in 17 minutes were a stark contrast from the 8.1 attempts he has averaged per game over his career in 17.1 minutes.
Still, Hyland had four assists to just one turnover. Even with the third unit, in these end-of-game situations, he appears to be more of a playmaker than a shot-taker.
“In Denver, I was more so in the second unit getting mine, going out there and just trying to keep the lead up,” Hyland said at shootaround on Tuesday morning. “As my career has gone on. It’s more about taking that point guard role and getting everybody involved.”
Bones Hyland on evolving into a playmaker from his rookie year
“In Denver I was more so in the second unit getting mine, going out there and just trying to keep the lead up… as my career has gone on it’s more about taking that point guard role and getting everybody involved” pic.twitter.com/GAuMDZATXN
— Andrew Dukowitz (@adukeMN) October 7, 2025
Hyland has always possessed good decision-making when passing the ball. He has a career 2-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, which is rare for an undersized young guard, because it can be hard to decipher coverages and see over taller defenders. However, if Hyland is starting to lean into that side of his game, it could open up opportunities for him on the Wolves. They are sorely in need of a backup point guard.
Still, making the switch from a combo guard to the lead guard is challenging. Typically, it takes years of practice and a significant shift in mindset from scoring to distributing. In the preseason, Hyland is showing that he may be quickly adapting to playing point guard. He has six assists to only one turnover in three games.
Although the sample size is small, ball security has always been a priority for Minnesota’s bench players. Chris Finch has a type when it comes to backup point guards: Jordan McLaughlin, Patrick Beverley, Ricky Rubio, Austin Rivers, and Monte Morris. Even last year, he opted for DiVincenzo or Nickeil Alexander-Walker over the rookie Rob Dillingham. Finch prefers guards who don’t turn the ball over, which Hyland has improved throughout his career.
Preseason doesn’t tell us everything. For many players, it’s almost a job interview. I’m not quite sure if Finch will be as into Hyland’s rapping as Connelly. Still, I’m sure that if Hyland keeps the turnovers down, he might ace his interview and become Minnesota’s backup point guard in 2025-26.