Bones Hyland Shades Nuggets for 2023 Trade in Social Media Post After T-Wolves' NBA Playoffs Win

The Minnesota Timberwolves eliminated the Denver Nuggets from the postseason on Thursday after defeating the Western Conference's No. 3 seed four games to two in their best-of-seven first round series.

That made Timberwolves guard Bones Hyland happy. The Nuggets selected Hyland with the No. 26 pick in the 2021 NBA draft but traded him to the Los Angeles Clippers amid a four-team deal in Feb. 2023. Hyland hasn't forgotten.

Hyland averaged 7.2 points in 13.7 minutes per game off the bench over six contests. His efforts included 13 points in 10 minutes in a 119-114 Game 2 win and eight points and seven assists in 20 minutes in a 112-96 Game 4 victory.

He's found a home in Minnesota, where he reunited with president of basketball operations Tim Connelly, who was leading Denver's basketball operations when the Nuggets selected Hyland in the 2021 draft. Connelly left the Nuggets for Minnesota one year later. Denver went in a different direction one year after that.

Hyland signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with Minnesota before this season. That turned out to be a wise decision for the Wolves, who have now made the second round of the playoffs for the third straight season. They'll face the No. 2 seed San Antonio Spurs starting on Monday.