Clippers' Hyland felt 'kicked to the curb' by Nuggets

Bones Hyland continues to lament the Denver Nuggets' seeming lack of transparency just over two weeks after they dealt him to the Los Angeles Clippers as part of a four-team trade.

"I'm a very emotional type of player," Hyland told ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk. "I'm a very emotional kid, but I love very hard. And I feel like it's been miscommunication, and I just feel like I'm just being pushed (and) kicked to the curb. Like, damn, bro. Just let me know what's going on.

"I grew up rough (in Delaware). I can take hard criticism, hard coaching, and stuff like that. I can take that, bro. Just keep it 100 with me. But I got none of that (from the Nuggets). ... It just came out of nowhere."

Hyland began the 2022-23 campaign with a prominent role off the Nuggets' bench after the team shipped Monte Morris to the Washington Wizards during the offseason. However, the second-year guard averaged just 14.2 minutes over his last eight appearances for Denver.

He left the bench early in the fourth quarter of a close game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Jan. 22, frustrating multiple veterans on the team, The Denver Post's Mike Singer reports.

The Nuggets punished Hyland by having him fly commercial for the start of their subsequent three-game road trip, adds Singer.

Hyland played in only three more games for Denver following the incident and didn't participate in the five contests preceding his trade to Los Angeles.

"I just didn't like how everything went down over there," Hyland said, per Youngmisuk. "Honestly. Just felt like I (was) just being treated worse than I was my rookie (season), and I felt like I was playing way better than my rookie (season). I felt like shit just (hit me) from blindside."

Hyland is averaging 11.9 points and shooting 38% from deep across 44 appearances this season.

Los Angeles and Denver will square off Sunday at Ball Arena.