Bones Hyland has been an afterthought with the Los Angeles Clippers even since James Harden arrived in Southern California. As Ty Lue's rebuilt team surges up the standings, proving its bonafides as a top-tier title contender, there's only been further indication Hyland won't be a part of Los Angeles' plans come the postseason. Why not move the third-year guard before the trade deadline, then?
As February 8th dawns, the Clippers have set an asking price of two second-round picks in exchange for Hyland, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, while the Minnesota Timberwolves and Charlotte Hornets are among teams who have shown interest in the third-year guard.
“Heading into Thursday’s trade deadline, there’s a growing belief the Clippers would consider trading guard Bones Hyland for two second-round picks, league sources told HoopsHype. The Timberwolves and Hornets are among the notable teams who’ve expressed trade interest in Hyland, league sources said.”
Where would Bones Hyland fit best at trade deadline?
Hyland has made just 11 appearances for Los Angeles since losing his regular spot in the rotation after Harden's third game with the Clippers. He's averaged 2.2 points in 5.8 minutes per game over that timeframe, shooting a ghastly 22.5% from the field while getting on the floor exclusively in garbage time. Needless to say, he won't be playing anything more than a bench-warming role with the Clippers as their quest for the first championship in franchise history continues.
Hyland's shoot-first tendencies and imminently exploitable status on the other end as an undersized combo guard make him a tough fit in the playoffs. He's played in just 10 postseason games over the last two years—five with the Denver Nuggets as a rookie and five more last season as the injury bug once again bit Los Angeles. Even before accounting for Hyland's debilitating size issues on defense, there's just not much use under the playoff microscope for a microwave scorer who's at his best with the ball in his hands and isn't a deadeye three-point shooter.
Maybe Minnesota could find a situational role for Hyland when the team needs extra scoring punch. Hyland will never be anything close to a positive defensively, but is at least less damaging on that side of the ball in a scheme built around traditional pick-and-roll coverage—with an elite rim-protector like Rudy Gobert behind him—rather than switching. The Wolves need all the offensive dynamism off the bench they can get, too, especially from the perimeter.
It's hardly outlandish to think Hyland could make more of a difference at backup ball-handler for Minny against certain opponents, in specific circumstances of time and score than Jordan McLaughlin. As the Wolves vie for their first ever Larry O'Brien Trophy before a potentially transformational summer, all it would take for him to be worth the price of two future second-round picks is one game-changing sequence that has the potential to swing a seven-game series.
Hyland isn't the only available player at the trade deadline who fits that bill, though, and is eligible for a contract extension come summer before hitting restricted free agency in the 2025 offseason. The cash-strapped Wolves could be more inclined to hold onto all their draft capital at the deadline instead of adding a bit player like Hyland who's soon due a raise.
On the other hand, Hyland could make sense for a rebuilding team like Charlotte as a buy-low option, his scoring and playmaking talent best put to use over the 82-game grind. You'd assume the Hornets would be more invested in fostering the development of rookie Nick Smith Jr. than Hyland, though, further complicating his path to a trade at the deadline.
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