The Nuggets Are Trading Bones Hyland To The Clippers For Two Second Round Picks

The Denver Nuggets have been shopping former first round pick Bones Hyland for the last month-plus as the young scoring guard has not been happy with his role in Denver, and the Nuggets have made clear they aren’t happy with his response to said role.

An hour before the deadline, the Nuggets found a new home for Hyland, but it doesn’t seem a larger role will be guaranteed for him, as Bones will be going to the Clippers for a pair of future second round picks.

The Clippers have been desperately trying to upgrade their point guard rotation, as Reggie Jackson and John Wall have not worked out well this season. Hyland certainly brings some scoring pop in the backcourt, as he is a terrific microwave scorer, but he doesn’t provide a ton beyond that, and given Ty Lue’s propensity to lean on veterans, one can’t help but wonder whether this will end up being a situation where Hyland gets the expanded role he wants. Still, this is a Clippers team that can absolutely get in the mud offensively, and Bones is a player that can give them instant offense when that happens, so at least for the regular season, this could help L.A. out.

The Nuggets don’t get a huge haul for Bones, but move off a player that was clearly not part of their long-term plans anymore. It’s a shame considering how fun Hyland was a year ago in Denver, but with Jamal Murray back and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope arriving in a trade this offseason, the minutes weren’t there as Bones had hoped.

For his part, Bones seems excited for a change of scenery.