The Minnesota Timberwolves are shoring up their roster ahead of the stretch run, converting two-way guard Jaylen Clark to a standard contract while planning to pick up notable free agent guard Bones Hyland.
The Timberwolves have agreed to a fully guaranteed, two-year deal with Clark, the 6-foot-4 swingman who has showcased tremendous energy over the past month, his agent Todd Ramasar of Life Sports Agency told ESPN on Wednesday.
After converting Clark on Thursday, the Timberwolves will sign Hyland, a 2021 first-round pick, to a two-way deal, agent Austin Walton of NEXT Sports told ESPN. The move reunites Hyland with Timberwolves president Tim Connelly, who selected him No. 26 overall in Denver, where he was a two-time Rising Star selection.
Clark fully entered the Timberwolves' rotation on Jan. 29, and he has averaged 6.9 points and 1.7 rebounds in 11 February games while shooting 47.4% from the field and 44% from 3-point land. He's scored in double figures in three games, with 17, 14 and 11 points.
Clark has held opponents to 41% shooting as the contesting defender this season, according to ESPN Research, and drew the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander assignment this month, guarding him for 70 matchups.
The Timberwolves' second-round pick in 2023, Clark missed the 2023-24 campaign due to a torn Achilles tendon but has made a tremendous recovery to become a member of the team this season.
Hyland, 24, is in his fourth NBA campaign and has averaged 7.2 points on a career-best 39% from 3-point range in 11.1 minutes a night over 20 games for the LA Clippers this season. He was sent to the Atlanta Hawks as part of the Terance Mann-Bogdan Bogdanovic deal at the trade deadline and was subsequently waived.
According to ESPN Research, Hyland ranks in the top five in steals per 36 minutes this season among players to play 200+ minutes. He has also averaged 17.7 points in three games where he played at least 20 minutes this season.
Hyland spent nearly two years in Denver before joining the Clippers in February 2023.