Without a doubt, the Minnesota Timberwolves’ bench depth and guard play have been problematic all season. With Rob Dillingham failing to develop, the Wolves turned to Bones Hyland in mid-December, and he provided some quality minutes. But as has been the case for most of his career, Hyland has been wildly inconsistent.
Overall, Hyland is averaging 6.7 points and 2.5 assists on 45.5/35.8/66.7 shooting. When the Wolves broke their five-game losing streak on Monday, Hyland recorded 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Regardless, during their losing streak, Hyland averaged just 3.4 points while shooting 38.9 percent from the field.
Now a trade deadline for a point guard could change things. Still, it’s reasonable to expect Hyland to remain in the rotation after the deadline — and if he plays real minutes, he should provide real scoring. Additionally, the Timberwolves could instead add to their wing depth with a player like Keon Ellis.
As it stands now, the Timberwolves have a nine-man rotation, and Hyland is the most trusted scorer off the bench after Naz Reid. So even with a trade, it’s reasonable to expect Hyland to remain a key part of the Wolves’ rotation after the deadline.
Hyland will likely still be a key part of the Wolves’ rotation
Sure, he might not be that crucial if the Wolves do indeed trade for a point guard. Still, depth has never been more important in the NBA, and Hyland’s impact as a leading scorer off the bench will remain crucial.
At his best, Hyland is a fantastic spark plug off the bench. But when the going gets tough, Hyland offers little to no value. His small frame limits his effectiveness as a defender. And while Hyland is a solid playmaker, he is not a table setter by any means. He will always give the Wolves a nice change of pace, but that isn’t nearly as valuable if his shot isn’t falling.
The reality is that Hyland has always been an inconsistent player, and that is something the Wolves will have to live with. Again, a deadline shift could change things. Nevertheless, given the Wolves’ limited resources, getting two impactful role players (without giving up a rotation player) isn’t realistic. As such, it seems likely that Hyland will still be counted on for some level of bench production.
Simply put, in today’s NBA you need at least eight high-quality players, and there’s a good chance Hyland will be in the top eight even after the deadline. Maybe they like Jaylen Clark’s defense, or Terrence knows Shannon Jr. a revival. Mike Conley playing heavy minutes is still a strong possibility, but at some point they need to cut ties with him.
Of this group, Hyland’s offensive upside is the largest, and as a result, they will likely need him to play for a few more minutes after the trade deadline.
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