PLAYA VISTA, Calif. — As Bones Hyland was finishing his post-practice exercise on Thursday, Russell Westbrook walked by in his new blue LA Clippers jersey.

The addition of Westbrook, the previous MVP level guard, has left some uncertainty surrounding Hyland’s position and minutes shifting ahead together with his new staff because the Clippers return to the ground on Friday evening againstSacramento. However Hyland says he’s “not stressing about it” after Clippers coach Ty Lue sat down and talked to him this week.

“T-Lue, man, I respect him,” Hyland,a second-year guard, informed ESPN on Thursday. “I perceive he has plan for me. I do know he is not simply going to depart me in a desert, man, simply on my own. … The very first thing he did [after the Westbrook signing] was name me over and speak to me one-on-one. That is one thing I respect about Ty Lue.”

Communication is one thing that Hyland says was lacking inDenverthis season as his position dwindled. In a Jan. 22 loss toOklahoma Metropolis, he left the staff bench in frustration within the fourth quarter and later was inactive for 5 straight video games earlier than being dealt to the Clippers for 2 second-round picks.

Hyland, the twenty sixth total choose within the 2021 draft, returns to Denver on Sunday for the primary time because the commerce deadline deal when the Clippers and Nuggets meet. He described each the Nuggets and Clippers as “nice organizations,” however he mentioned he was ecstatic to be traded to the Clippers and stays in the dead of night over what led to his diminished position in Denver. This was speculated to be a promising 12 months for him after start line guard Monte Morris was traded toWashingtonin July.

“Who is aware of? Do not know, man,” Hyland informed ESPN when requested what occurred to his position in Denver. “I really feel prefer it’s simply miscommunication. All of us thought the identical factor [after the Morris trade] — it could be extra alternative, extra minutes for myself. … But it surely simply modified up so quick. It is arduous to place it in phrases as a result of I am so misplaced like all people else.”

After averaging 10.1 factors and 19.0 minutes as a rookie, Hyland averaged 12.1 factors in 19.5 minutes per sport this season in 42 video games for the Nuggets.

“Man, I simply did not like how the whole lot went down over there,” Hyland mentioned. “Actually. Simply felt like I [was] simply being handled worse than I used to be my rookie [season], and I felt like I used to be enjoying method higher than my rookie [season]. I felt like s— simply [hit me] from [the] blindside.”

Hyland, 22, would be the first to confess he let his feelings get one of the best of him when he left the Nuggets’ bench on Jan. 22.

The Denver Submit reported that the Nuggets punished Hyland by having him fly industrial and becoming a member of the staff in New Orleans for a three-game highway swing. Hyland known as that irritating second a studying expertise.

“I am a really emotional sort of participant,” Hyland mentioned. “I am a really emotional child, however I like very arduous. And I really feel prefer it’s been miscommunication and I simply really feel like I am simply being pushed [and] kicked to the curb. Like, rattling, bro. Simply let me know what is going on on.

“I grew up tough [in Delaware]. I can take arduous criticism, arduous teaching and stuff like that. I can take that, bro. Simply maintain it 100 with me. However I obtained none of that over there. … It simply got here out of nowhere.”

Denver head coach Michael Malone just lately spoke about how necessary relationships are together with his playerswhen requested by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski about his relationship with Nuggets MVP Nikola Jokic.

“My father taught me a very long time in the past,” Malone mentioned on “The Woj Pod.” “As a coach it’s important to know X’s and O’s. You bought to have the ability to draw up a play on the finish of sport, you have got to have the ability to make changes to your defensive sport plan. … However like Tony La Russa would at all times say, if you do not have the relationships, none of that issues. Whether or not it’s Nikola orJamal [Murray] orMichael Porteror anyone else on our roster, one by means of 17, I believe these relationships matter.”

Whereas some have speculated about Hyland’s relationship with Murray on social media, Hyland mentioned he and Murray have texted because the commerce and that he is not at odds together with his former teammates.

“I really feel prefer it ended good,” Hyland mentioned of his relationship with Murray. “Like lots of people thought me and Jamal and loads of gamers had been beefing. However we had been simply laughing at the whole lot that was taking place. Everyone felt like they knew what was happening. They did not know something. We laughing in any respect the [social media] feedback that was happening. We had been speaking within the locker room, seeing them on daily basis.

“However there was a time limit the place I needed to come out and say one thing. As a result of we’re not going to maintain doing this and making an attempt to color me like I am a villain, like I am simply beefing with my teammates. That is not me, bro. It isn’t what is going on on.”

Hyland mentioned he is not positive what is going to occur together with his minutes now with Westbrook slated to make his Clippers debut on Friday. Hyland averaged 7.5 factors in 16 minutes per sport in his first two contests with the Clippers.

“He’s good,” Lue mentioned after sitting down with Hyland. “Simply speaking to him and maintaining him optimistic, ensuring that he is able to go and we’ll see what it appears like. He dealt with it nicely. Solely two video games, however I like what he brings to this staff. It isn’t over for him, so I simply informed him to be prepared.”

Hyland mentioned he would like to play at Denver in a sport that he says will likely be emotional for him.

“Whether or not they chant or they do not, it is at all times love on my finish,” Hyland mentioned of the Nuggets followers. “It’s going to be loads of feelings.

“I do know, like, I like Mile Excessive Metropolis, so I hope it is love on that finish, too.”