The Nuggets have agreed to trade second-year guard Bones Hyland to the Clippers, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Denver will receive L.A.’s 2024 and 2025 second-round picks in the swap, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Hyland had been on the trade block in Denver in recent weeks due in part to tension between the 22-year-old and the Nuggets’ coaching staff about his playing time. Multiple reports indicated that Hyland would welcome a change of scenery if it gave him the opportunity to take on a more significant role elsewhere.
He’ll get his change of scenery, though it’s unclear whether Hyland will get a significant bump in minutes on a deep Clippers team that has championship aspirations. Still, L.A. had been in the market for another play-maker in the backcourt and will acquire a promising one in Hyland, who averaged 12.1 PPG and 3.0 APG on .399/.378/.866 shooting in 41 games (19.5 MPG) for the Nuggets this season.
Because he’s only in the second year of his rookie contract, Hyland will remain under team control for two seasons beyond this one at a very reasonable rate ($2.3MM in 2023/24; $4.2MM in ’24/25). He’ll be eligible for a rookie scale extension during the 2024 offseason and would be a restricted free agent in 2025 if he hasn’t signed a new deal by that point.
The Nuggets had been hoping to acquire a first-round pick or a defensive-minded wing in exchange for Hyland, but will have to settle for a pair of second-rounders for an asset whose value may have dipped as of late. Hyland was a DNP-CD in Denver’s last four games leading up to the trade deadline.
The Clippers have an open spot on their roster and have a trade exception available to absorb Hyland’s $2.2MM salary, so they won’t have to send a player to the Nuggets to complete this deal. That means Denver should open up a spot on their own 15-man squad.
Horrible trade!
bro why he’s so good
If he was so good someone would have offered more than two 2nd round picks. Evidently the league disagrees with you (he may literally be the worst defensive player in the NBA).
When Malone buried him in the weeks leading up to the deadline teams knew that could get him on the cheap. Reddish was offered to the Nuggets for Hyland and they turned it down. Now they are celebrating because they signed a guard the Clippers didn’t even want.
So Bones and a 2rp for two months of Thomas Bryant as o happy that the second Malone doesn’t like the way a player responds he immediately destroys that players value
That’s it??? Denver would have just been better off keeping Bones.
Sounds like he was bringing team chemistry down.
Not according to reports on the Denver Post. Only Murray and Malone. Malone has shown he cannot coach young talent especially if they don’t see things his way.,
That seems cheap…
Weird that Denver would help their conf rivals like this
Makes no sense. Bones Hyland is just as good as Thomas Bryant in terms of value and has team control. They gave up 3 2nds for Bryant and got back 2 2nds for Hyland. Dumb trades
Hyland was unhappy and causing problems
Sacrifice a 2nd to move laterally but with better team chemistry and understanding (in theory)
Hyland makes the odd spectacular play but he is not very good. He’s a horrid defender — literally doesn’t even try. And he makes bone-headed decisions — no pun intended — regularly with the ball. Bryant is a considerably more useful player to a competitive team.
His defense is almost as bad as Murray. If he is that bad why is he playing in the all-star catch a riding star game. You aren’t Malone’s agent are you.
Guess Clippers are off the Westbrook train
He is actually a good fit for the Clippers, as a scoring/shootimg/playmaking guard around their defenders
Curious to see what Denver gets back, but I wasnt really a fan of the fit there
4 2nds for Hart, 5 2nds for Crowder, and now 2 2nds for Hyland.
Hyland isn’t that terrible is he? I know his defensive presence isn’t a thing, nor does it exist, but this seems very low. I would value his future promise higher than Crowder, but ok…
That’s it? Seriously? Hyland is a starting-caliber guard. Are you kidding me?
Well, everyone already hates the Clippers anyway so might as well add Bones to the mix at a low cost.
EDIT- didn’t mean this to be a reply to you but yeah, it’s weird.
I think if you are arguing Bones is a starting-caliber guard, you’re kidding yourself.
Hyland is a disaster. But its hard to believe he couldn’t net more than 2 SRPs in a market that’s handing them out like party favours. I mean he’s a PITA in addition to a self-designated non-defender, but even using him situationally, he’s not completely worthless.
On the bright side, this must really burn all of 2k nation. Many of them were readying his HOF nomination. But that’s not a justification for this deal (just a happy side benefit).
Bones D might be terrible but he can put up 20-8 or better as a starter. Nuggets will regret this
…and he’ll give up 30. When you have the kind of team the Nuggets do, the last thing you need is a “me” attitude in the locker room
Yeah his defense is bad but I would have preferred if bones was shipped to Orlando or another bad team in the east.
Boy I really wish they could have worked it out with him. I feel like Bones will be a major headache for the Nuggies for a very long time in that Clippers uni.