Minnesota Timberwolves: Young Wolves players set-up for success in 2021-22

Jaden McDaniels’ role on the 2021-22 Minnesota Timberwolves

In his rookie campaign, Jaden McDaniels surprised fans with his overall game, but it was his defense that was most impressive.

While the per-game numbers don’t jump off the stat sheet, they certainly do not tell the whole story.

McDaniels played almost exclusively at the 4 when he saw the floor early in the season. Once Finch took over on the bench, the rookie began playing more at the 3. He is arguably the Wolves’ most switchable defender, showing the ability to guard virtually anyone.

McDaniels’ playing time increased over the course of the season, and by April, he ended up averaging about 30 minutes per game.

Our own Dylan Jackson pointed out in an article in May that McDaniels was seen as a project player who needed to develop for a few years. Instead, what the Wolves got was an NBA-ready defender with a solid outside shot and tantalizing upside on the offensive end of the floor.

Next season, McDaniels will be a massive part of the Wolves’ defensive plan as he continues to improve offensively and get more chances on that end of the floor.

Expectations for the Minnesota Timberwolves as a team

Minnesota ended up No. 13 in the Western Conference with a 23-49 record. Both of their star players missed significant time and the team made a coaching change in the middle of the season.

The success of the play-in games this year means that there’s a solid chance that it returns next season as well. The Wolves have a decent chance of cracking the tournament provided they have relative health from their star players.

The team generally has a well-constructed roster and what appears to be a solid new head coach who is still putting together the staff around him. We still don’t know what will happen this offseason, but if the front office can make a couple more upgrades, the playoffs could certainly be within reach.