Bones Hyland

Trade Rumors: Guards, Centers, Hornets, Mavs, Hyland, More

Previous reports have indicated that the Suns and Clippers are interested in point guards, and they have been the two most active teams looking for help at the position, sources tell Matt Moore of Action Network.

At least one report indicated that the Heat aren’t actively shopping Kyle Lowry, but that hasn’t stopped rival teams from calling to check in on him, Moore writes.

Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer wrote last week that the Clippers are interested in Lowry and Fred VanVleet, and their names are not a coincidence. According to Moore, Kawhi Leonard “has made it clear” that he would welcome backcourt help, and the three players were teammates when the Raptors won the championship in 2019.

Moore believes VanVleet is more likely to be on the move than Lowry due to his age and contract situation. VanVleet, who turns 29 next month, is expected to decline his player option and hit free agency in 2023. Lowry, on the other hand, turns 37 in March and is owed $29.7MM in 2023/24.

As for the Suns, they’ve been looking more at reserves than starters. His name hasn’t come up in trade talks, according to Moore, but rival executives are keeping a close eye on Chris Paul‘s situation in Phoenix in case new owner Mat Ishbia decides to go in a different direction — Paul turns 38 in May.

Moore says Bulls guard Alex Caruso might be the most difficult guard on the market to acquire, as his contract, age, and versatility hold a lot of appeal. Nearly a dozen teams are thought to have “serious interest” in Caruso, but some have already pulled out of talks with Chicago due to a high asking price.

Here are several more trade rumors from Moore:

  • If the Spurs trade Jakob Poeltl, Moore believes it will come right before the deadline. Rival executives are skeptical San Antonio will be able to get two first-rounders for the veteran center.
  • While Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic is reportedly available, Moore writes that Portland will only move him for an upgrade at the position.
  • Multiple teams have inquired on Timberwolves center Naz Reid, but evidently Minnesota didn’t like the offers. Moore hears the Wolves are going to hang onto the 23-year-old and will try to sign him to a contract extension.
  • The Hornets have set a pretty high bar in talks regarding Terry Rozier and Mason Plumlee. They’re looking for a first-rounder in exchange for either player, according to Moore.
  • The Mavericks are open to discussing their wing players in an effort to upgrade the roster, but they might also look to shed long-term money. Keep an eye on the Jazz, says Moore, as they could offer “short-term upgrades on expiring contracts” to fulfill both of those desires.
  • Moore classifies the Pelicans as a team “unlikely to make moves,” though they are interested in wing help. Sources tell Moore the Hawks are unlikely to trade John Collins, as the new front office regime appears to value him more than the previous one did.
  • The Nuggets are looking for a “playoff-ready wing who can defend” for guard Bones Hyland, but have only received “lowball offers” thus far. Moore believes they’re unlikely to make a deal. However, sources tell Mike Singer of The Denver Post that the Nuggets “believe they have traction on potentially acquiring a first-round pick” for the 22-year-old. Singer also reports that the Nuggets are looking for players on “cost-controlled” contracts similar to Hyland’s, who is in the second year of his rookie scale deal.

Trade Rumors: Beasley, Vanderbilt, Pelicans, Hyland, Pacers

The Jazz have been involved in trade talks regarding Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt and are seeking a first-round pick in return for each player, writes Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Scotto notes that both players were part of trade discussions earlier this season involving the HawksJohn Collins, and he says the Suns are also interested in dealing for them.

Beasley and Vanderbilt have been important contributors since Utah acquired them from Minnesota last summer in the Rudy Gobert trade. Beasley has bolstered the Jazz bench and is averaging 13.6 PPG, while Vanderbilt moved into the starting lineup and is posting 8.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per night.

Utah has interest in acquiring Dorian Finney-Smith from the Mavericks or Jalen McDaniels from the Hornets, sources tell Scotto. He suggests that Beasley and Vanderbilt could be combined in an offer for Finney-Smith, but the Jazz may wait until the offseason to try to sign McDaniels in free agency. Scotto adds that the Suns and Raptors are also watching McDaniels and may attempt to trade for him now to acquire his Bird rights.

Scotto cites the Hawks, Cavaliers and Pelicans as teams that have reached out to Utah about Beasley. He mentions the Knicks as another potential landing spot, as New York had interest in Beasley before he signed his last contract with the Wolves. Knicks executive Gersson Rosas traded for Beasley and Vanderbilt when he ran Minnesota’s front office, and Scotto hears that he has been monitoring Beasley’s availability.

There are more trade rumors to pass along:

  • League executives tell Scotto that Pelicans reserves Devonte’ Graham and Jaxson Hayes are considered to be available. Graham is under contract for $12.1MM for next season and has a $2.85MM guarantee on his $12.65MM salary for 2024/25. Hayes is headed for restricted free agency this offseason.
  • It may seem surprising that the Nuggets are gauging the value of second-year guard Bones Hyland, but trading him is the team’s best chance to improve before the deadline, Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype states in the same story. Denver would like to add a defensive forward, but apart from its rotation the team doesn’t have many players who would be useful in salary matching. Sources tell Scotto the Nuggets are reluctant to part with any draft assets in a deal involving Hyland. Gozlan also points out that getting another wing player now would provide insurance in case Bruce Brown decides to turn down his $6.8MM player option for next season.
  • After reaching an extension agreement with Myles Turner, the Pacers have $10.7MM in cap space to work with on the trade market, Gozlan adds. Indiana and San Antonio are the only teams that still have cap room available for the current season.

Charania’s Latest: Anunoby, Collins, Poeltl, Hyland, More

The Knicks and Suns are among the teams interested in acquiring OG Anunoby, but it may be a few more days before the Raptors decide whether to make him available, writes Shams Charania of The Athletic. Sources tell Charania that Toronto won’t decide whether to be a buyer or seller until close to the February 9 trade deadline. That decision will affect the availability of Anunoby, along with Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, Gary Trent Jr. and possibly others.

The Raptors were counting on another strong season after finishing fifth in the East last year, but they’re just 23-28 so far and stuck in 12th place. However, Toronto has won two of the first three games on its current road trip and still has a realistic shot to reach the play-in tournament.

President of basketball operations Masai Ujiri and general manager Bobby Webster want to take as much time as they can to evaluate the current roster before deciding whether to keep the core together or try to rebuild around Scottie Barnes. The Raptors are expected to seek a premium price if they do make their top players available, and Charania hears that the Knicks are willing to part with multiple first-round picks to land Anunoby.

The organization will also make a decision this summer on the future of head coach Nick Nurse, Charania adds. Toronto hasn’t released the details of Nurse’s most recent contract extension, but sources tell Charania it will expire after the 2023/24 season. He also hears from sources that Nurse has been the target of some of the frustrations this season, and the front office will consider whether a coaching change is in the team’s best interest.

Charania offers more inside information heading into the trade deadline:

  • The Hawks are still listening to offers for John Collins, but new head of basketball operations Landry Fields is telling teams that Collins is considered an important asset rather than a salary to dump. The Jazz remain interested in Collins, sources tell Charania, and when the teams discussed a deal early this season, Atlanta sought Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt in return. Utah reportedly asked for a first-round pick as well, which caused negotiations to stall.
  • Spurs center Jakob Poeltl is getting increased interest on the trade market, and Charania believes he could be headed to an Eastern Conference team such as the Celtics or Raptors.
  • The Nuggets are holding active trade conversations regarding Bones Hyland, and sources tell Charania that the Timberwolves are among the interested teams.
  • The Hornets are engaged in trade talks regarding Mason Plumlee and Kelly Oubre, according to Charania, and the Suns, Raptors, Jazz, Pacers and Spurs are among the teams monitoring Jalen McDaniels. Charlotte may value McDaniels too highly to consider a trade, but teams with cap space are expected to target him when he becomes a free agent this summer.
  • The Jazz are also interested in Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith, and Charania reports that rival teams believe he would be available in a deal involving a star player. Executives tell Charania that Dallas has put a high price on Finney-Smith, who signed a four-year, $55MM extension last year.
  • Jaylen Nowell is strongly considering leaving the Timberwolves this summer in free agency if he doesn’t get an extension in Minnesota, according to Charania’s sources.

Nuggets Gauging Bones Hyland’s Value

One report leading up to the 2022 draft indicated that the Nuggets might be open to discussing Bones Hyland in trades. Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports hears from sources that Denver did indeed discuss Hyland last June, and has started to check his current value on the trade market.

An All-Rookie Second Team member last year, the 22-year-old is a talented shot-maker, but he is not a great defensive player, and has at times been pulled from games by head coach Michael Malone for a lack of effort on the less glamorous end. Fischer reports that the “occasional clashes” between the second-year guard and Malone contributed to Denver’s willingness to discuss Hyland in trades.

The Nuggets are said to be looking for a “defensive-minded frontcourt player” and a first-round pick in exchange for Hyland, though they are also interested in a reserve point guard to potentially replace him. Like Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Fischer hears the Timberwolves are interested — Tim Connelly drafted Hyland.

As Fischer explains, the former first-round pick still has two more years left on his rookie scale contract, but it sounds as if the Nuggets might be reluctant to pay him in the future due to luxury tax concerns. Complicating matters further for Denver is that Bruce Brown is expected to decline his player option for 2023/24 in search of a more lucrative deal.

The Nuggets only have Brown’s Non-Bird rights, so they’ll be limited to offering him 120% of his current contract – a new deal would start at $7.8MM, only a $1MM raise on his player option. There’s nothing in Fischer’s report indicating the Nuggets are shopping Brown, but he suggests they’re afraid he might walk in free agency.

Scotto’s Latest: Reid, Allen, Reddish, Poeltl, Anunoby

The Clippers and Nuggets are among the teams that have expressed interest in Timberwolves center Naz Reid, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype writes in his latest roundup of trade rumors.

Reid will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and Scotto says there’s a belief around the league that he could land a contract worth the full taxpayer or non-taxpayer mid-level exception. Although he’s primarily a backup, Reid has been effective amid injuries to Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert, averaging 15.4 PPG in seven games as a starter this season.

The Wolves are also exploring offers for D’Angelo Russell, and Scotto suggests that both Minnesota players might be moved in deals involving L.A.’s Terance Mann or Denver’s Bones Hyland, whom Connelly drafted during his time with the Nuggets.

Scotto offers more insight into the trade market with the deadline nearing:

  • The Knicks would like to acquire Grayson Allen from the Bucks as part of a deal involving Cam Reddish, although Scotto notes that might not be realistic given Allen’s inclusion in other trade rumors. Allen is a starter in Milwaukee and is a valuable shooter, connecting at 39.5% from three-point range, while Reddish has been benched in New York for the past 25 games. Allen has been mentioned in deals involving the Suns’ Jae Crowder and the Rockets’ Eric Gordon, which Scotto sees as more likely. However, he adds that the Bucks and Knicks have talked about a Reddish deal that doesn’t involve Allen, so the fourth-year forward could still wind up in Milwaukee.
  • The Spurs may be able to land a first-round pick and a young player in exchange for center Jakob Poeltl. That’s probably the limit, Scotto adds, because Poeltl will be a free agent this summer and will likely get a new contract starting around $20MM per season. If they don’t trade him by the deadline, Scotto expects the Spurs to give him that deal so they don’t lose him without getting something in return.
  • Two other Spurs are also in demand, with Scotto viewing one or two second-round picks as the price for Doug McDermott and one second-rounder enough to land Josh Richardson. McDermott is under contract for $13.75MM in 2023/24, while Richardson is headed toward free agency.
  • The Grizzlies are an interesting team to watch if the Raptors decide to part with OG Anunoby, Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype adds in the same piece. Memphis owns all its first-round picks, along with a Warriors first-rounder in 2024 that’s top-four protected. Gozlan believes the Grizzlies might offer Danny Green and a young asset like Ziaire Williams in addition to draft capital, although Toronto might insist on Dillon Brooks. Other teams that could get involved in the Anunoby bidding, according to Gozlan, include the Trail Blazers, who reportedly offered the No. 7 pick to Toronto for Anunoby before last year’s draft, along with the Knicks, Kings and Suns.

Nuggets Notes: Brown, Chemistry, Jokic, Hyland

Veteran guard Bruce Brown, who spent two seasons in Detroit and two more in Brooklyn before arriving in Denver, said the Nuggets‘ locker room is the best one he has been a part of, writes Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post.

“Everybody likes everybody, everybody is cool with everyone. We do mostly all things together, even if we have a night off, we’ll do things together. I’m happy I’m in this locker room,” Brown said. “It’s just a bunch of good guys. I’m not saying I didn’t play with other good guys with other franchises, but it’s just a bunch of good guys, all on the same page, so it’s been good.”

After winning 14 of their last 17 games, the Nuggets have a 28-13 record, tied with Memphis for the best mark in the Western Conference and 3.5 games ahead of third-place New Orleans. Head coach Michael Malone believes the close-knit nature of the team is one important reason for its success, according to Saunders.

“You’re either together or you’re not,” Malone said. “For me, it’s pretty simple. The best teams in the NBA are usually really connected, on and off the court. And you can see it. And on the flip side, you can see the teams that have no chemistry. You have five individuals playing for themselves out there.”

Here’s more out of Denver:

  • Two-time MVP Nikola Jokic has been ruled out for Friday’s game vs. the Clippers due to right wrist injury management, per the NBA’s official injury report. Jokic played 28 minutes in a blowout win over Phoenix on Wednesday and didn’t seem to be favoring the wrist, tweets Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports, so there’s no indication at this point that it’s a major cause for concern.
  • Three executives from different Western Conference teams speculated to Mike Singer of The Denver Post (subscription required) that if the Nuggets make a trade in the coming weeks to add size, defense, and/or experience, Bones Hyland would be part of the outgoing package. General manager Calvin Booth will have to determine whether Hyland’s timeline matches that of the win-now Nuggets, according to Singer, who notes that the second-year wing has played some of his best basketball as of late, averaging 16.6 PPG on .522/.519/.857 shooting in his last eight games (22.2 MPG).
  • Hyland is hoping to get the opportunity to participate in next month’s three-point contest at All-Star weekend in Utah, Singer writes in a separate story for The Denver Post. “If it happens, it happens. I want to win it. I want to be in it,” said Hyland, who is averaging 2.6 made threes in just 20.8 minutes per game and knocking them down at a 41.7% clip. His name is on a preliminary list of players the NBA is considering inviting, a source tells Singer.

Northwest Notes: Hyland, Jokic, Markkanen, Jazz Losing Streak

Second-year reserve Nuggets guard Bones Hyland has developed into the de facto leader of the team’s bench, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post. Singer notes that Hyland has been showing plenty of promise of late, as when he scored 16 points to lead all bench scorers in a 124-119 Nuggets victory over the Heat Friday.

“Bones is such an important part to this team,” Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said. “He really is. When Bones is playing well, the impact he has, not only on that second unit, but the starters, is (huge).”

“Once I’m being myself out there, being Bizzy, playing with confidence, I think I give so much confidence within the team,” Hyland added. “I ignite that spark.” 

Across 27 games this season, the 22-year-old is averaging 13.1 PPG, 3.4 APG and 2.1 RPG in 20.9 MPG for the 23-12 Nuggets.

There’s more out of the Northwest Division:

  • Two-time Nuggets MVP center Nikola Jokic has emerged as a potential contender for that hardware yet again this season, but he claims personal commendations are not a major motivator. “To be honest, the MVP trophy might mean a little more to me when I finish my career,” Jokic told Serbian TV Arena Sport in a recent interview (h/t EuroBasket). “I didn’t chase that recognition or think about it. When you want something and then you get it, it’s logical to be happy. However, that award wasn’t even on my mind, so maybe I’m not overjoyed enough because of that. I have to admit that I don’t play for records, nor to be the best in triple-doubles.” Speaking of triple-doubles, the 6’11” All-Star is nearly averaging one for the season, with 25.5 PPG, 10.9 RPG, and 9.5 APG. For December, Jokic averaged 29.2 PPG on 60.4% field goal shooting, plus 12.3 RPG and 10.1 APG.
  • The 19-20 Jazz, losers of four straight contests, remain in the thick of the playoff hunt as the 10th seed in the West. There is nothing imminent on the trade front for Utah at present, writes Tony Jones of The Athletic. Jones notes that the team may now consider breakout star forward Lauri Markkanen, enjoying by far his best season ever as the club’s leading scorer, to be a long-term Jazzman. The seven-footer is averaging a career-best 23.8 PPG on .531/.429/.857. He is also pulling down 8.5 RPG and dishing out 1.9 APG.
  • The Jazz are striving to be objective as they unpack the aforementioned four consecutive defeats, which can be chalked up to a variety of factors, writes Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune. Walden notes that, after a red-hot 10-3 start to the 2022/23 season, the Jazz have gone just 9-17. “We have a great group of guys, so everybody’s still working together, still having fun playing, still doing the proper work,” Markkanen said. “It’s a tough stretch — we could easily be 4-0 in the last four games, but that’s the NBA, and nobody’s gonna feel sorry for us. So we’ve got to figure out a way to get those wins down the stretch.”

Nuggets Notes: Hyland, Defense, Braun, Green

Everything was back to normal for Nuggets guard Bones Hyland Tuesday night after he was benched over the weekend for a lack of effort, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post. Hyland returned to his usual role, sparking Denver’s second unit with 20 points, including five three-pointers, and handing out five assists in 30 minutes of action.

Hyland played just five minutes Sunday in New Orleans, being pulled from the game as Jose Alvarado was lighting up Denver’s reserves on the way to a career-high 38 points. Nuggets coach Michael Malone talked to Hyland about the benching at Tuesday’s shootaround, according to Singer, and came away encouraged that his young guard understands what’s expected of him.

“As I told him this morning, ‘Offensively, we need your scoring, but it’s required to give forth the same effort on both ends of the floor,’” Malone said after Tuesday’s game. “… I felt he competed, I felt he fought, he contested, he tried to be physical with guys. That’s all I’m ever asking for, from Bones or for anybody.”

There’s more from Denver:

  • Team defense continues to be a concern for the Nuggets, who rank 26th in the league on that end of the court, per Harrison Wind of DNVR. Denver allowed the Mavericks to shoot 50% from the floor and 47.2% from beyond the arc Tuesday night in a one-point loss. “We’re losing games that we’re supposed to be winning,” Hyland said. “We know we’re not giving a sense of urgency to defend and go out there and compete every night. The locker room’s definitely frustrated.”
  • Malone is hoping to carve out a greater role for first-round pick Christian Braun, Singer tweets. “I gotta get him minutes,” Malone told reporters Tuesday. “… He’s a part of our future.” Braun has played in 22 of the team’s first 24 games, but is averaging just 12.9 minutes per night.
  • Jeff Green returned Tuesday after missing seven games with a knee contusion, but he’s been able to make a contribution even when he’s not playing, according to Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette. “His voice, he has the respect of the entire locker room. I think when he uses his voice and he steps up, I think it’s critical to our success, and it’s critical to our young players,” Malone said. “If it’s me all the time, that’s cool. We’re only going to be a good team. When our players and our veterans take ownership and leadership, I think that allows you the potential to go much further, much farther and much deeper.”

Injury Notes: MPJ, Hyland, Oladipo, Pelicans, Clippers, Holmgren

Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. (left heel contusion) will miss his fourth consecutive game on Wednesday, but Denver will get some reinforcements vs. Houston with Bones Hyland (non-COVID illness) set to make his return following a three-game absence, per Harrison Wind or DNVR Sports (Twitter links).

Hyland last played on November 22 and was hampered by his illness on that night, logging just nine minutes. The Nuggets guard said today that he “couldn’t breathe on the floor” during that game, but is “feeling great” now, according to Mike Singer of The Denver Post.

Here are a few more health-related updates from around the NBA:

  • Heat guard Victor Oladipo practiced with the team on Tuesday, but there wasn’t any contact during that session and he won’t play on the current road trip, which runs through next Monday, head coach Erik Spoelstra said today (link via Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel). While Oladipo hasn’t played yet this season due to left knee tendinosis, it sounds like he’s making progress toward a return.
  • Pelicans guard CJ McCollum has exited the NBA’s health and safety protocols, but will remain sidelined on Wednesday as he attempts to get back into game shape, tweets Andrew Lopez of ESPN. New Orleans did get some good news on Larry Nance Jr. — he’ll be available after missing Monday’s game with a right shoulder injury.
  • Still without Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, and Luke Kennard, the Clippers added Norman Powell to their injury report for Wednesday’s game in Utah due to a left groin strain. Powell is doubtful to play, says Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN (Twitter link).
  • Thunder big man Chet Holmgren will undergo a follow-up procedure to remove the “hardware” in his right foot from his previous surgery, a team spokesperson tells Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman. The procedure had been planned and is a sign that Holmgren is making progress, Mussatto adds.

Injury Updates: Beal, Bucks, Suns, Banchero, Lakers, More

Wizards guard Bradley Beal has cleared the NBA’s health and safety protocols, the team announced. However, Beal will still miss Saturday’s game against Utah due to “return to competition reconditioning,” with further updates to be provided as he continues to inch closer to a return.

Beal has missed three games while in the protocols, with the Wizards going 2-1 without their star shooting guard. Through nine games, he’s averaging 21.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 5.7 assists on .517/.325/.917 shooting in 35.1 minutes per night.

Here are several more injury-related updates from around the NBA:

  • Bucks stars Giannis Antetokounmpo (left knee soreness) and Jrue Holiday (right ankle sprain) were both ruled out for Friday’s loss to the Spurs, tweets Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Both players missed their second consecutive game for the league-leading Bucks, holders of a 10-2 record in the early going.
  • Similarly, Suns guard Chris Paul was ruled out for the second straight game Friday, in what turned out to be a loss to the Magic, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Fellow guard Landry Shamet (concussion symptoms) was also sidelined after scoring a season-high 16 points in Wednesday’s win over Minnesota. “We didn’t see anything. Just kind of jumped up on him last night. It just speaks to how complicated those things are. Can go for a while and not even know something is going on and then it just jumps up on you,” head coach Monty Williams said of Shamet (Twitter link via Rankin). For Orlando, No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero missed his second straight contest with a left ankle sprain.
  • The Lakers provided an update today on center Thomas Bryant and guard Dennis Schröder, both of whom are recovering from thumb surgery. They were evaluated this week and are said to be progressing well, and both players will be reevaluated next Thursday, as Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times relays (via Twitter).
  • Shaedon Sharpe, the No. 7 overall pick, has suffered a volar avulsion fracture to his right fifth finger, the Trail Blazers announced in a press release. He’s considered day-to-day going forward and is officially listed as questionable for Saturday’s contest at Dallas.
  • Nuggets guard Bones Hyland has entered the league’s health and safety protocols and was ruled out for Friday’s loss at Boston, Denver announced (via Twitter). Hyland is a key reserve for Denver, with averages of 14.0 points and 3.7 assists through nine games (20.7 minutes). He’ll need to pass some testing requirements before returning to action. The Nuggets play Sunday, Wednesday and Friday next week.
  • Last year’s No. 1 overall pick, Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, was downgraded from questionable to out on Friday with left shin soreness, tweets Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. On a positive note, wing Alec Burks made his 2022/23 season debut following foot surgery, scoring 17 points in 25 minutes during Detroit’s loss at New York.