MINNEAPOLIS — Bones Hyland’s 2026-2027 season is off to a better start than almost any Minnesota Timberwolves fan could have predicted.

For the man they nicknamed Bones, however, it is not.

“This is definitely the role I was envisioning for sure,” said Hyland, who has averaged 9.8 points per game in 13.1 minutes per game. “That’s why I worked out so hard this summer. I worked out to exhaustion. I pushed myself a lot. I ran a lot. I worked out four times a day for a month and a half straight, ramping up for the season. So I envisioned this, for sure.”

Hyland, who was seen as a situational piece coming into this season, has become a mainstay in the rotation due to the absences of both guards Donte DiVincenzo and Anthony Edwards.

Bones Hyland vs Dallas:

24 PTS | 8 AST | 2 STL | 5/6 3FG | 95 TS% pic.twitter.com/YdAnVbonkf

— Basketball Performances (@NBAPerformances) November 13, 2026

This will be Hyland’s second full season with the organization, and he quickly became a fan favorite due to his high energy levels off the bench. While he has been known for being a spark plug, the sixth-year guard has taken his spark to new heights this season — averaging nearly 10 points per game in limited minutes thus far. His more notable strength has been efficiency, shooting 40 percent from behind the 3-point line on 4.4 attempts per game. His 61.7 true shooting percentage ranks third on the Timberwolves roster, trailing only center Joan Beringer and guard Ayo Dosunmu, per Databallr.

Hyland credits his fast start to the relentless work he put in during the offseason.

“This was a different summer for me, for sure — way different,” said Hyland after Thursday evening’s domination over the Dallas Mavericks. “I think I was just more dedicated. I want more … I didn’t play for the past two seasons before last season, so this last season, that was just a taste. Now we have a season underneath our belt, we come back, and I want more.”

“In addition to his invigorating summer, Hyland has noted that the leadership of newly acquired guard LaMelo Ball has helped his game grow in a short time. “It starts with his personality,” said Hyland, when asked about the Chino Hills native’s impact both on and off the floor. “That engages the locker room first. Then he just speaks up on everything that we need. That’s what you need from a starting point guard. … We tell LaMelo all the time we’re thankful that we have him, but lead us. That’s big for us.”

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Both Ball and Hyland have similar, energetic styles of play coming from the point guard position — looking to create in transition as much as possible while shooting high-volume 3s efficiently.

In his postgame media availability, Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch noted the uncanny similarities between the two.

“Both of them fit the system,” said Finch, whose team has come out of a cannon to lead the association in net rating.
”Particularly where Bones is playing the way he is, like getting downhill, creating for people as well as for himself. So, both of them play fast. You know, both of them are looking to throw the ball down the floor. You know, I think Bones, the tempo, you would — goes up a tick when he goes in there right now, which is good — be a change of pace.”

In addition to helping the team now, Hyland is effectively auditioning for an expanded role down the stretch. With the looming returns of Edwards and DiVincenzo, the Timberwolves will have 12 players fit to be in the regular rotation. While it is a good problem to have, Finch will have decisions to make, as it would be virtually impossible for 12 players to remain in the game-to-game rotation.