Along with Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels is considered to be one of the most promising players on the roster. Whether it’s his 3-point shooting, ball handling, or playmaking ability, McDaniels has made steady improvements since the Wolves drafted him 28th overall in 2020. However, when the Timberwolves have been healthy, McDaniels hasn’t been able to maximize his potential
In his three-year career, McDaniels has showcased his defensive ability on a nightly basis. Players around the league have been fond of McDaniels’ ability on that end, including NBA champion Jamal Murray to multi-time All-Star and Olympic gold medalist in Paul George. It’s safe to say McDaniels has already put the league on notice, but unfortunately, he wasn’t rewarded with a spot on any of the All-Defensive teams last season.
But McDaniels isn’t only a defensive player. He’s also shown the ability to make an impact offensively. The problem is that we see the best out of McDaniels when the Wolves are missing a key player. Depending on how you look at it, injuries have been an unfortunate reality for the organization. But for McDaniels’ sake, it has allowed him to grow into a complete player.
Going back to his rookie season in 2020-21, McDaniels’ offensive production improved without D’Angelo Russell on the court. According to StatMuse, in 2020-21, McDaniels averaged 7.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.3 rebounds in 29 games without Russell on the court. On the other hand, McDaniels averaged 6.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1 assist in 34 games with Russell. Given that it’s a similar sample size, the statistics prove McDaniels was a more aggressive player without Russell as a rookie.
Going into his second season, McDaniels had shown enough promise as a rookie and in the Summer League for Chris Finch to give him a starting role at power forward to start the 2021-22 season. However, his time as a starter would be short-lived after not making the most of his opportunity. It took just 10 games for Finch to insert Jarred Vanderbilt into the starting lineup, replacing McDaniels. After his demotion to the second unit, McDaniels only started games sporadically.
Last season, McDaniels was a consistent starter after the Rudy Gobert trade allowed him to step into a bigger role. According to the Athletic, the Wolves included significant draft compensation to keep McDaniels out of the Gobert trade. Last season, McDaniels would capitalize on his opportunity by having his best year yet, averaging 12.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 79 games as a starter.
For a large part of last season, Towns missed over 50 games with a calf injury. McDaniels had his best scoring outbursts of the season in Towns’ absence, including a few career-high scoring performances. However, McDaniels would match his career-high of 25 points in Towns’ return against the Atlanta Hawks.
With a full lineup, McDaniels has a history of being a standstill shooter while occasionally playing off the dribble. He’ll have to find a way to be assertive when he shares the court with Conley, Edwards, Towns, and Gobert. Otherwise, he’ll just fall back into old habits. Just imagine how much better the Timberwolves would be if they found a way to maximize McDaniels’ services. The same can go for Gobert, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year winner with the Utah Jazz.
Toward the end of last season, McDaniels showed his capability of being a dependable contributor to the offense as a starter, which was not the case in 2021-22. But that might have more to do with Mike Conley than anything else. As much as Conley poses a threat as a scorer, he has no issue with making the extra pass. Just look at how much more comfortable Gobert looked when he played alongside Conley than Russell.
Thus far, signs have shown that the Conley trade will work out for the Timberwolves. But McDaniels will have to capitalize on his momentum from last season and carry it into 2023-24. Not only for his benefit but to affirm the Timberwolves’ confidence that he’s a franchise centerpiece alongside Edwards.
