It seems like Tim Connelly truly enjoys having Bones Hyland. The Timberwolves re-signing Hyland was long rumored, and it was finally announced as an official move on Monday. Connelly has a long history with the recently turned 25-year-old Hyland, which may further explain the interest in bringing him back.
Bones Hyland was drafted by Tim Connelly and the Nuggets in 2021
Many Timberwolves fans were confused about the rumored likelihood of the point guard returning. This was a player who barely saw the court after joining the team. Why not go with someone more proven for the end of the bench?
Well, it turns out that Connelly, president of the Timberwolves, has a previous history with Hyland. Prior to joining Minnesota, Connelly had the same job title with the Nuggets from 2013-22.
It was while he was with Denver when Connelly and the Nuggets decided to take Hyland with the 26th overall pick in 2021. Hyland remained with the Nuggets until February of 2023, when he was dealt to the Clippers. Connelly was no longer a part of the Nuggets organization when the trade went down.
Hyland barely saw the court after joining the Timberwolves late last season
Connelly saw Hyland when he was at his best in the NBA. In 2021-22, the 6-foot-2 guard averaged 10.1 points and was named to the All-Rookie second team.
Since then, Hyland has often had a hard time finding his footing in the league. Denver soured on him due to some defensive lapses. The same could be said with the Clippers. He often found himself outside of the rotation when the team was relatively healthy.
Hyland was traded to the Hawks in February of 2025 and was subsequently waived by Atlanta. A couple of weeks later, Hyland joined the Timberwolves on a two-way contract. He would appear in just four games for a total of 17 minutes with Minnesota. In that brief time, he scored five points and dished out four assists.
So, Hyland remains on a team where Connelly is the team president. It's hard to see a path to regular minutes on the Timberwolves barring injuries. He will likely be behind Mike Conley and Rob Dillingham in the pecking order, and Minnesota also has let Donte DiVincenzo take the point guard reins at times.
For his career, Hyland has shot 39.8% from the field, 36.4% from beyond the arc, and 84.8% from the free-throw line.