Draft guru says what Timberwolves fans already know about Jaden McDaniels

On a recent episode of the Game Theory podcast, Sam Vecenie and Bryce Simon ranked the NBA's 25th through 17th best defenders. Closing out Vecenie's and Simon's joint list at 17 was Minnesota Timberwolves wing Jaden McDaniels. Vecenie categorized McDaniels as a disruptor wing, and the two of them went on to praise his impact.

"Even if he gets beat, he's never out of a play because he's so long and his motor runs high on that end, Vecenie said regarding McDaniels. He's just a monster to deal with on the ball, takes on consistently difficult matchups. The hand activity is disruptive; he's just a monster."

To Vecenie's point, McDaniels is one of the NBA's best perimeter defenders. His blend of size (6-foot-9), length, IQ, and athleticism makes him an elite stopper. McDaniels primarily guards opposing teams' best perimeter player; his size and length make him a matchup nightmare for guards. However, he can also guard bigger players if need be. This skill set also allows McDaniels to wreak havoc off-ball.

McDaniels is an elite defender on and off the ball

Undoubtedly, McDaniels is one of the league's most skilled defenders, and it could even be argued that 17 is too low for him. While not a perfect measure of the league's best defenders, McDaniels did make All-Defensive second team in the 2023-24 season and had 10 All-Defensive votes this past season.

Opponents shot 46 percent against McDaniels, including 58.3 percent at the rim, highlighting his versatility. Vecenie noted McDaniels' defense against Austin Reaves in the first-round of the playoffs. Reaves shot just 25 percent from the field when defended by McDaniels; being able to take one of the Lakers' key players out of the series certainly helped Minnesota pull off the first-round upset.

McDaniels also held Luka Dončić to 28.6 percent shooting from beyond the arc. JMAC followed this up by holding Jimmy Butler to 31.3 percent from the field in the next round. In the regular season, McDaniels held Steph Curry to 26.5 percent shooting, Devin Booker to 30 percent shooting, and James Harden to 27.8 percent shooting. His size and length are highly disruptive to perimeter players.

Undoubtedly, McDaniels' ability to take perimeter stars out of games is infinitely valuable and something that will benefit the Wolves in their pursuit of an NBA championship. McDaniels' elite defense takes pressure off Anthony Edwards. This, paired with Rudy Gobert's elite rim protection, makes the Wolves one of the NBA's best defenses.

McDaniels' versatility and off-ball defense also can't be ignored. He averaged 2.2 stocks (steals and blocks) last season. His length and instincts make him highly disruptive off the ball. McDaniels has the quickness to recover defensively and force turnovers. On top of this, McDaniels has the tools to shut down forwards and bigs if needed.

Considering McDaniels' elite on-ball defense, versatility, and ability to disrupt opponents, he is the complete package as a defender. Overall, McDaniels' defensive impact is undeniable, and he deserves more recognition around the league.