Re-signing Jaden McDaniels sets up the Timberwolves’ next move

The long-awaited new contract for Jaden McDaniels was officially announced on Monday. After much deliberation, the Minnesota Timberwolves officially agreed to a new deal for the talented wing worth $136 million over five years.

It was a carefully-timed decision, as the organization had just a few hours left in the day to sign him when the extension was announced. Now, McDaniels will be returning to the Wolves and will continue to be a major piece on a squad looking to make serious noise in the Western Conference.

With the extension talks finally behind them, this will give the Timberwolves the perfect opportunity to pursue their next goal. Of course, one of the top priorities on their to-do list is to find a new starting point guard to eventually take over for Mike Conley.

The Timberwolves can now look for an eventual Mike Conley replacement

Now, this does not mean the Wolves are looking to move off of Mike Conley here and now. He will certainly remain the team’s starting PG through at least the end of the coming season. But the fact of the matter is that Conley is 36 years old and his best years are probably behind him.

If Minnesota wants to maximize Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels’ talent through the second half of the decade, they will eventually need a replacement. Conley’s successor could certainly be in one of the upcoming draft classes, or he could already be playing in the NBA. Possibly, even already on the Timberwolves’ roster.

But regardless of where Minnesota looks for a new point guard, it was important to re-up Jaden McDaniels now so that process could be expedited. Next summer, Mike Conley will become an unrestricted free agent and could very well leave the Twin Cities.

The Wolves would likely be able to re-sign him for cheap if they do not yet have a replacement in mind. But in any case, they will have much more flexibility now.