Chris Finch makes his stance on Jaden McDaniels crystal clear

Jaden McDaniels' potential growth, especially as an offensive player, is one of the more interesting stories of the Minnesota Timberwolves' upcoming season. During Timberwolves media day, head coach Chris Finch mentioned that the Wolves will look to get McDaniels more involved in the offense.

"Offensively, looking to direct the ball to him more, Finch said when discussing his goals for McDaniels. We know that he can have a good partnership with Rudy. He's got a game where he can get his shot and get it off over people because of his size and high release point. And we need him to lean into being a playmaker when he does have the ball in his hands." 

Last season, McDaniels averaged a career-high 12.2 points and 2 assists. He carried this over to the playoffs, where he averaged 14.7 points. Finch's quote makes it seem like McDaniels will be a priority in the Wolves' offense. At 25, and with the flashes he showed last season, it's possible McDaniels will reach another level. 

Finch made it clear that McDaniels will be a key part of the Timberwolves' offense

With Nickeil Alexander-Walker leaving in free agency, it's been speculated that the Wolves will depend on McDaniels more, and Finch's quote backs up this idea. It's no coincidence that as McDaniels was more aggressive in the playoffs, the Wolves were dominant in the first two rounds.

Notably, in the regular season and playoffs combined, the Wolves were 6-0 when McDaniels scored 25-plus points. Furthermore, they were 25-9 when he shot over 40 percent from beyond the arc. McDaniels, a career 34.8 percent 3-point shooter, will have to show more consistency as a spot-up shooter. However, he has shot 42 percent from beyond the arc in the playoffs for his career, so the upside is there. As Finch mentioned, McDaniels' size and high-release point benefit him as a shooter.

Making McDaniels more of a focal point in the offense could help the Wolves reach new heights, and it seems like that will be an area of focus for Finch. McDaniels could establish himself as the Wolves' clear No. 3 option behind Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle.

Finch also mentioned McDaniels' connection with Rudy Gobert. Impressively, this duo posted a 4.7 net rating together. Playmaking is an area of growth for McDaniels. While he averaged a career high in assists, he still posted 1.2 turnovers last season. Nevertheless, McDaniels showed some nuance as a playmaker, especially when attacking off closeouts, and overall looked more comfortable with the ball in his hands.

As Finch noted, McDaniels will have to lean into being more of a playmaker. This will be especially vital without Alexander-Walker.

Ultimately, McDaniels showed plenty of growth as a creator last season, and this trend feels likely to continue, especially with Finch's quote. As the Wolves attempt to get over the hump and win a championship, McDaniels reaching another level offensively could be a key swing factor, and Finch seems ready to empower him.