It's not a secret that Jaden McDaniels is an essential part of the Minnesota Timberwolves' success. This has especially been the case this season, as McDaniels has reached new heights offensively. Notably, he is averaging a career-best 14.8 points while shooting 42.1 percent from 3-point range.
If you somehow forgot, though, the Wolves' past five games without him should serve as a reminder of McDaniels' immense value. During this five-game stretch, the Wolves are just 1-4, and McDaniels' impact has been sorely missed on both ends of the floor.
There is no better example of the Wolves missing McDaniels than Sunday's 122-108 loss to the Hornets. LaMelo Ball erupted for 35 points as the Wolves' point-of-attack defense had no answer for him. On the other side of the ball, the Wolves' offense looked sluggish, and they could have used some extra shot creation and 3-point shooting.
Would McDaniels' presence alone have swung this or the other Wolves' four losses? It's unlikely. Notably, Anthony Edwards has been out for three of these four losses, including Sunday's game. Plus, in general, the Wolves look out of sync, and numerous players aren't playing up to their standards. Simply put, the Wolves have a ton of issues right now.
Nevertheless, having McDaniels in the fold would have helped make up the gaps in these games, and the Wolves have clearly been missing him.
The Timberwolves will need Jaden McDaniels in the playoffs
Dealing with a week-to-week knee injury, it's unclear if McDaniels will return before the end of the regular season. Thankfully, though, McDaniels is expected to return for the playoffs. With the Wolves essentially locked in to the No. 6 seed, keeping McDaniels on ice might be prudent.
How healthy McDaniels will be upon return remains a vital question hanging over the Timberwolves.
In any event, it's clear that the Wolves will need a productive McDaniels to win anything substantial in the playoffs. The Wolves' point-of-attack defense is lost without McDaniels, and they need the extra offensive juice he provides.
As of now, it's unclear if the Wolves will play the Denver Nuggets or the Los Angeles Lakers in the first-round.
The Wolves would likely be able to slide by the hobbled Lakers, even if McDaniels isn't at 100 percent. However, the Wolves will need the best version of McDaniels to get by the Nuggets -- he's their solution to guarding Jamal Murray, and they'll need another dependable source of offense.
Ultimately, this recent stretch has loudly reminded everyone of McDaniels' all-around value, and if he's not at his best, the Wolves' ceiling is extremely limited.