Could Bones Hyland fix OKC Thunder offensive woes?

Bones Hyland strengths and weaknesses

Strengths:

Nah’Shon Hyland’s NBA trait is his scoring, without question the reason why he will be selected in the NBA Draft. His ability to beat players off the dribble, pull off step-back moves, and change gears on a dime.

Not only can Hyland create threes for himself, but he can knock them down off the catch as well, which is an important trait to have when potentially stepping on the floor with the Thunder.

Not only did Mark Daigneault stress the importance of launching triples, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was also one of the best drive-and-kick players in the league. Giving SGA more shooters to kick the ball out to would be huge for his development.

As the lead guard, the VCU product is not afraid to pull up from deep as soon as he crosses the timeline.

His frame might not show it at first glance, but thanks to his wingspan and change of speed he is a solid finisher at the rim. His ability to just toss the ball at the rim and avoid contact is second to none in this class.

While his defense will not be a selling point for Bones Hyland right away, his wingspan measurement gives hope that despite being 6’2 he can stay on the floor defensively.

Weaknesses:

While calling him a fancy finisher at the rim, he certainly struggles against bigger defenders who act as more traditional “bruisers” down-low. With the lack of weight on Hyland, it was understandable why he would shy away from contact. However, it did impact his ability to score at the rim.

This could turn into a plus for him at the NBA level if he is willing to get hacked. Getting to the line makes you a next-level scorer. Look at the numbers Shai Gilgeous-Alexander unlocked as he got to the line more this past season.

Hyland played hero ball and was a bit selfish at VCU, though it is understandable. Playing alone as the only draftable player in a college system that has limited spacing and options, obviously led to mistakes.

The biggest weakness for Hyland is the fact that he lacks size. Though he would be a good gym buddy for Aleksej Pokusevski, he needs to add weight fast. I struggle to see a matchup in the NBA that Bones Hyland will not get bullied by right out of the gate. Bulking up to prevent these NBA guards from taking advantage of him will be a top priority.