It's been a roller coaster of a season for the Minnesota Timberwolves so far. From starting the season on fire to then crashing slightly, largely due to Anthony Edwards' injury, one constant has remained through all the ups and downs. Jaden McDaniels has been unreal at the start of the season.
He's averaging career highs across the board so far. Through the Wolves' first seven games, he's averaging 17.3 points, 6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists while shooting 55.3 percent from the field. The shorthanded Wolves need guys to step up and take on bigger roles, and McDaniels has done just that.
This upcoming stretch without Edwards will be a defining moment in McDaniels' career. For the past few years, everyone has known that there's been more meat on the bone regarding McDaniels' offensive game, but he's had to defer to other players. Now he gets to be one of the top dogs offensively, and so far, he's been extremely promising in living up to those expectations.
Jaden McDaniels will be key to keeping the Wolves afloat
There's no replacing someone as amazing as Edwards, especially point-production-wise. He was on an absolute tear to start the season, averaging 33.3 points per game. Covering for that is going to take the entire team stepping up, not just McDaniels. However, McDaniels should see the biggest jump in usage.
We've seen firsthand what McDaniels can do when he's treated as one of "the guys" on offense. Last season in the playoffs against the Denver Nuggets, McDaniels had 32 points and 10 rebounds in the closeout Game 6.
So far this season, in the three games Edwards has been sidelined, he's averaged 20.3 points on incredibly efficient shooting. With LaMelo Ball's scoring wavering, McDaniels has provided the team with some scoring stability.
He's already evolved a ton as a player
McDaniels' career arc has been fascinating. For most of his career, he's been relatively passive when it comes to offense. Too many times, there would be flashes of brilliance, but often he would find himself standing in the corner for too many possessions. He also used to be an incredibly inconsistent 3-point shooter, but he's since improved in that regard.
For the first five seasons of his career, he hovered around the low-30s as far as three-point percentage. But last season, he took a significant jump, shooting 41.2 percent from the three-point line. So far this season, he's only shooting 34.5 percent, which isn't bad, but he's taking the most per game in his career through the first seven games.
He's been automatic in the mid-range through recent years, and his length allows him to finish shots at the rim that few players can. Combining the improved offensive skills with him being one of the best perimeter defenders in all of basketball, the Wolves have a true star on their hands, he's just been overlooked.
Now with Edwards sidelined, McDaniels can finally put the league on notice and help the Wolves win games. During training camp McDaniels said that he wants to be an All-Star this season, and while it may have looked far-fetched then, there's never been a better opportunity for that than right now.
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