After some significant rumors, the Minnesota Timberwolves signed Bones Hyland on Monday. Notably, the 6-foot-2 point guard previously spent the second half of last season with the Wolves. Minnesota's belief in second-year guard Rob Dillingham has been clear throughout the offseason, and signing Hyland is the latest evidence of this.
Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic noted the Wolves chose to sign Hyland over other guards. Malcolm Brogdon was long linked to the Wolves, as was Malik Beasley following the conclusion of his gambling investigation. Russell Westbrook remains a free agent, and if the Wolves wanted to, they likely could have signed him.
Some Wolves fans might be confused by the signing of Hyland, given that there were better options on the market. Nevertheless, Hyland is the ideal depth piece, and signing him will allow Dillingham to flourish.
Dillingham is ready for a bigger role
Dillingham averaged just 10.5 minutes and 4.5 points in his rookie season. However, with Nickeil Alexander-Walker leaving and Mike Conley now a year older, Dillingham is poised for a bigger role. The Wolves traded up to get Dillingham with the No. 8 pick just last June. Given this, the Wolves must see what they have with Dillingham.
Signing a guard like Brogdon or Beasley would have taken away opportunities from Dillingham. As a result, signing a depth piece like Hyland was the smart move, and it once again shows the Wolves' belief in Dillingham. Minnesota waiting this long to sign a guard already signaled their belief in Dillingham, as did passing on a guard twice in the draft. Now, the Wolves' belief in Dillingham is unquestionable.
Despite not playing much in his rookie year, Dillingham showed flashes of his upside. Averaging 15.3 points and 6.8 assists per 36 minutes. Of course, per 36 minutes stats should be taken with a grain of salt, but it shows his upside. Additionally, despite only exceeding 25 minutes once, Dillingham notched 10-plus points eight times. As a speedy three-level scorer with playmaking chops, Dillingham offers the exact skill set the Wolves need.
While some growing pains can be expected, Dillingham is the ideal point guard of the future for the Wolves. His skill set perfectly complements Anthony Edwards. With an impressive roster around him, it's fair to expect Dillingham to be able to contribute at a high level when given a bigger opportunity.
Overall, signing Hyland makes it clear that Tim Connelly and the Wolves organization are confident that Dillingham can be a key part of the team's success this season.