When will the Minnesota Timberwolves extend Jaden McDaniels?

Who is keeping the score?

Even as we can debate the defensive prowess of young small forward Jaden McDaniels’ worthiness of an NBA All-Defense team honors, we have to pivot to the offensive side of the basketball court. After all, scoring is as important to the game of professional basketball as his defense. So what about his offense? Can he put puts up on the scoreboard?

While not much is headlined over McDaniels ability to put up points, that has certainly been an area of steady and rapid development and improvement. For example, did you know that Jaden Mcdaniels’ perimeter shot was successful nearly 40 percent of the time during the 2022-23 NBA season? (He was a 39.8 percent scorer from beyond the arc). That is some ironclad dependability.

More than a long-range scorer

But he has more in his arsenal than just long-range artillery:

McDaniels was able to deliver points when the Timberwolves needed them. Perhaps seeing is believing:

Jaden McDaniels has certainly been a valuable player on the Timberwolves roster so far.  So what is the holdup? Well, for starters, McDaniels punched a wall, broke his hand, and removed himself from competing in the 2023 NBA Playoffs. That was a foolish and immature decision that does not help his case in negotiating this year.

But he missed a postseason. That’s huge, in that competing in the NBA Playoffs truly defines elite, very good, or just good NBA players. Without that demonstration, McDaniels will be limited to just the 2022 NBA playoff performance.

Unlike max deals that are fairly well-defined, the value of an NBA non-max deal is completely open to negotiation. In short, McDaniels will be paid whatever he and the Minnesota Timberwolves agree.