Bones Hyland Opens Up on Acrimonious Exit From Denver Nuggets

• Bones Hyland has said he felt he was kicked to the curb in Denver after joining the LA Clippers before the Feb 9 trade deadline
• The 22-year-old was traded because he felt he deserved a bigger role with the title contenders
• He recently opened up on his time in Denver

Western Conference leaders Denver Nuggets traded fan favorite Bones Hyland to the LA Clippers for two second-round picks.

His relationship with the Nuggets became increasingly frosty after he left the bench against Oklahoma City Thunder on Jan. 22. He has since opened up on his exit and why things ended the way they did.

After that incident, the second-year guard didn't fly with the team; instead, he flew commercial and later met up with the squad as punishment, per the Denver Post. Furthermore, he was absent at shootaround and didn't play against the New Orleans Pelicans.

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One thing that probably forced Hyland's trade was his fit alongside franchise point guard Murray. The youngster's defensive lapses forced Murray to guard the opponent's most dangerous player.

Hyland and Murray did not gel on offense.

Bones on his time in Denver

The 22-year-old was selected 26th overall in the 2021 draft and returns to Denver on Sunday for the first time since the trade deadline deal.

According to ESPN, the guard felt shortchanged.

"I feel like it's just miscommunication. We all thought the same thing [after the Morris trade] -- it would be more opportunity, more minutes for myself. ... But it just changed up so fast. It's hard to put it in words because I'm so lost like everybody else... I feel like it's been miscommunication and I just feel like I'm just being pushed [and] kicked to the curb. Like, d@mn, bro. Just let me know what's going on."

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He averaged 10.1 points and 19.0 minutes as a rookie and improved with 12.1 points in 19.5 minutes per game this season in 42 games for the Nuggets.

What Beverley told Westbrook

Sports Brief earlier reported on what Beverley told Russell Westbrook after news broke that he would sign with the Los Angeles Clippers.

The two were teammates with the Lakers this season but were traded before the deadline. The two didn't see eye to eye for nearly a decade but seems they quashed their beef.

"I texted him as soon as I heard [the news], he texted me right back. I said, 'Man, you're gonna love it there. You're gonna love it there, man. You're gonna love it there'."