Would The Nuggets Be Crazy To Trade Bones Hyland?
I’m just not sure I understand this one. Since being selected by Denver with the 26th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Bones Hyland has done basically everything asked of him. He’s an off the bench scorer that can hit the 3 at an efficient rate. Hyland may not be super crafty but he’s the upgrade the Nuggets have needed over Will Barton. Apparently, it may not last much longer.
The Nuggets may not be entirely sold on the former VCU product. Bones is being shopped at the deadline in an effort to somehow upgrade the club at the same time.
“The Nuggets are gauging the value for Bones Hyland ahead of next week’s trade deadline, including both canvassing the league and taking calls on the second-year guard, two league sources told The Denver Post.”
“Ahead of next Thursday’s trade deadline, the Nuggets are seeking players with two-way skills on similar, cost-controlled contracts as Hyland has in addition to pick compensation. The Nuggets believe they have traction on potentially acquiring a first-round pick, sources said.”
I’m just not sure I understand this one. Hyland is a cost-controlled asset with two years left on his rookie deal. A deal that should only cost Denver $6.4 million. Shooters are hard to come by. Why shop Hyland? It feels like the Nuggets are trying to get too cute here.
Denver ranks first in the NBA in three point field goal percentage (39.6%). Why rock the boat there? Hyland has a lot to do with that as he’s hitting 37.9% of his attempts from distance. That’s on nearly six attempts a game. Without Bones in the lineup, it’s hard to think they’re the same team from 3-point range.
I have no clue what the Nuggets are trying to accomplish here but I’m interested to see if a trade actually comes to fruition. Sometimes the best trades are the ones that never happen. Denver should think twice about shopping Bones Hyland. It’s one thing to be open to trading. It’s another to go outright shopping. If the Nuggets aren’t super high on Hyland, another club may find a premium shooter on the cheap. It’s a storyline worth watching.
