Now in his sixth season, Jaden McDaniels has become one of the most indispensable players on the Minnesota Timberwolves roster. He often is tasked with guarding the opposition’s best offensive player, and McDaniels himself has also made a jump on the offensive end.
While McDaniels is a wonderful defender, he can become too aggressive at times, which causes the whistle to be blown on him. That was the case on Saturday against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and he was forced to leave the game with three fouls and over seven minutes still left in the first half. It’s been a problem that has reared its ugly head often for McDaniels.
One thing that jumped out watching Jaden McDaniels:
— Mike Jagacki (@Mike_Jagacki) December 23, 2025
On contact, he lifts slightly out of his stance — a lot like Scottie Pippen.
Instead of trying to stop momentum, he lets it flow through him, staying connected and covering more ground.
Full breakdown: https://t.co/3URvWVQXY4 pic.twitter.com/AUWZsO97k3
Jaden McDaniels is often in foul trouble
With 7:21 remaining in the second quarter on Saturday, McDaniels ran into Sam Merrill as he was attempting a 3-point shot. The foul was called, and it was McDaniels’ third of the afternoon. The 25-year-old sat for the remainder of the first half.
That has been a common theme throughout much of the season. McDaniels has committed 128 personal fouls in his first 37 appearances. That is 3.46 per contest, a number that is only topped by five players who have appeared in at least half of their team’s games (Kyshawn George, Jaren Jackson Jr., Wendell Carter Jr., Stephon Castle, Karl-Anthony Towns).
With the regular season closing in on the midway point, McDaniels has fouled out three times this year. The 6-foot-9 forward also has five outings with five fouls, and Saturday marked the 11th time that he ended a game with four. That means in 19 of his 37 appearances, a little more than half, McDaniels has been charged with at least four fouls.
McDaniels needs to stay on the floor
Selected 28th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, McDaniels has always been more prone to fouling than most players. It’s something that he improved at being called for less frequently last season though.
Appearing in all 82 games in 2024-25, McDaniels averaged a career-low 3.1 fouls per 36 minutes. That is up to 3.9 in 2025-26.
The Timberwolves are not exactly a very deep team. That was evidenced on Saturday when Chris Finch turned to 38-year-old Joe Ingles with Mike Conley and Terrence Shannon Jr. out, as well as McDaniels sitting due to foul trouble. It’s important that McDaniels remains out on the floor, and constant foul trouble doesn’t always allow him to do so.