With the regular season opener just five days away, time is ticking down before the Minnesota Timberwolves officially tip off their 2022-23 season. With preseason coming to a close, Chris Finch and his staff are that much closer to making final lineup determinations.
Of course, the lineup fans want to know about most is the starting lineup for opening night. While everyone seems to have a pretty good grasp on where certain players fit in the rotation, there was one (albeit tiny) question mark remaining: small forward.
But that question was answered with certainty on Friday morning, when Chris Haynes reported that the Timberwolves would officially name third-year forward Jaden McDaniels as the team’s starting small forward.
Some fans assumed this move was a foregone conclusion, but regardless, they can now be assured that they’ll see McDaniels join the starting unit when the Wolves tip off against the Oklahoma City Thunder on October 19th.
Minnesota Timberwolves to name third-year wing Jaden McDaniels as the starting small forward to begin the 2022-23 season in what could be a breakout year for the versatile 6-foot-10 forward, league sources tell @YahooSports: https://t.co/fMvT08kXZt
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) October 14, 2022
Jaden McDaniels’ hard work paid off
This announcement is a testament to the hard work Jaden McDaniels has put in all offseason. The coaching staff would not have made this decision without seeing him push himself to be his best throughout the summer.
With a fresh batch of talent joining the Minnesota Timberwolves via the draft and free agency from June through September, McDaniels felt the pressure of competition from his teammates and took the initiative to get better. Now, his reward is becoming an opening-night starter.
Having just turned 22 years old at the end of September, McDaniels will join a starting lineup absolutely stacked with talent and All-Star level players. He’ll be challenged to elevate his game, and playing alongside the likes of Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns certainly shouldn’t hurt him in that regard.
McDaniels already has sights set high
It helps that Jaden has already expressed that he has lofty goals for himself. In September, he voiced his intention to be named to the NBA’s All-Defense First Team. It’s clear that he knows what he brings to the table, and he intends to raise the bar even higher.
While the task is a challenging one, McDaniels absolutely has a chance to reach his hefty goal. In his first two seasons as a pro, he showed off his versatility as a wing defender, frequently guarding long and athletic players on the opposing team. His defensive numbers will look to take a sharp uptick this year as his playing time increases.
Ultimately, McDaniels’ elevation to the starting lineup could be the start of something truly special for his career.