Jaden McDaniels is quietly resurrecting a key part of the Timberwolves' offense

Jaden McDaniels' offensive leap has been well discussed. The Minnesota Timberwolves forward is averaging 15.5 points (3.3 ppg jump from last year) while shooting a blistering 45.6 percent (12.6 percent jump from last year) from beyond the arc. However, one aspect of McDaniels' game that hasn't been discussed enough is his playmaking. Okay, I'll admit a .5 assist jump isn't exactly groundbreaking.

Regardless, McDaniels looks more effective with the ball in his hands, and his pick-and-roll efficiency has improved. One specific improvement this has led to is his two-man game with Rudy Gobert.

Shoutout to Charlie Walton of Zone Coverage for pointing this out. McDaniels had 18 assists to Gobert last year, and Rudy shot 18-for-41 when McDaniels passed it to him. This year, though, McDaniels already has 14 assists to Gobert, and he is shooting 14-of-18 on passes from McDaniels. In fact, only Julius Randle has more assists to Gobert than Jaden.

The Jaden McDaniels-Rudy Gobert connection is massive for the Wolves

Gobert got off to a relatively slow start, averaging 9.7 points on just 5.4 field goals per game. After this, it was fair to wonder if the 33-year-old was starting to decline. Over the past 15 games, though, Gobert is averaging 12 points and 6.6 field goal attempts. McDaniels has been a huge part of this resurgence.

Impressively, McDaniels ranks in the 94th percentile as a pick-and-roll ball handler; only 11 players around the league rank above McDaniels in PNR effectiveness. Still, McDaniels' PNR frequency is only at 9.0 percent. I have advocated for the Wolves to empower McDaniels more, and I will continue to do so. Specifically using him more in pick-and-roll situations would benefit Gobert and the team overall.

The Wolves are a different team when Gobert is involved. When Rudy has 10 or more points, the Wolves are 11-3. However, when Gobert scores fewer than 10 points, the Wolves are 4-6. Likewise, Gobert has 6.3 more touches per game in wins compared to losses.

If Gobert is a non-factor and/or the Wolves aren't getting involved, opposing teams can pressure Anthony Edwards more. Consequently, it's vital to involve him in the offense more, and empowering McDaniels as a playmaker is a massive factor in that.

Overall, the McDaniels and Rudy duo has a stellar plus-8.9 net rating. Of course, they're the Wolves' two best defenders. However, it's nice to see that they have developed some offensive chemistry and it's leading to positive results for Minnesota.