Timberwolves can’t let their Jaden McDaniels loyalty cost them a chance at Giannis

The Minnesota Timberwolves face a summer of uncertainty, but if they want to reel in the biggest fish possible, it will be a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Timberwolves made a run at acquiring the Milwaukee Bucks star at last year’s trade deadline and are expected to resume those talks this summer. But Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer suggested on a livestream Tuesday night that it may come at the cost of Jaden McDaniels.

“I think Minnesota is going to explore whether or not they can get into the Giannis trade sweepstakes. It’ll be difficult to do so without parting with Jaden McDaniels,” Fischer said when discussing the Timberwolves’ pursuit of Antetokounmpo. “His inconsistency in the postseason as a scorer and a shooter, did reveal itself. But when he’s on, I think that’s partially feels like [Anthony Edwards] feels like they’re good.”

Even though Edwards has pumped up McDaniels since the two arrived in Minnesota during the 2020 draft, the Wolves have to think about how big they want to go to acquire Giannis. And it may require trading in their loyalty to land the No. 2 star Edwards needs to compete in the West.

Jaden McDaniels is a worthy price to pay to land Giannis Antetokounmpo

McDaniels is a fan favorite among Timberwolves fans. He was a key antagonist who helped Minnesota defeat the Denver Nuggets in the first round and his deadpan expressions have become a staple for social media content. 

While McDaniels is an elite perimeter defender and posted career highs in points per game (14.8) and 3-point percentage (41.2 percent) last season, there’s also some volatility to his game. McDaniels’ tendency to get into foul trouble and struggles from 3-point range (23.8 percent) were key storylines throughout the playoffs and his production declined between the first and second rounds.

There’s also Naz Reid’s comments about the “moodiness” of last year’s team. While McDaniels' demeanor makes him a hero in the minds of Wolves fans, it also can be his worst enemy, forcing himself out of games and leaving him prone to a bad night on the court.

With all of this in mind, this might be the perfect time to sell high on McDaniels. Set to turn 26 in September, he’s significantly younger than Julius Randle (32 in November) and Rudy Gobert (34 in June) and is significantly cheaper ($26.2 million) compared to Randle ($33.3 million) and Gobert ($36.5 million).

You have to give up something to get something, especially in a robust market for Antetokounmpo. Fischer speculated that the Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, Portland Trail Blazers, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers could all be suitors this offseason and each of those teams have better assets to give up considering Minnesota’s draft pick situation.

That could be improved by some of the other moves the Wolves could make this offseason, such as trading Gobert or Randle. But it also wouldn’t be appealing as acquiring a strong wing in his prime in an attempt to replace Antetokounmpo.

It also makes sense considering where the Wolves could pivot if they don’t land Giannis. Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving is an option, but he’s 34 years old and coming off a torn ACL suffered in March of 2025. Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers is another pivot, but he’ll turn 35 in June.

Fellow Maverick Anthony Davis was brought up in Fischer’s livestream, but his availability is an issue. Likewise, Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant feels like a disaster waiting to happen due to his injuries and off-court issues.

In the end, it makes sense if the Timberwolves wanted to go all-in for Antetokounmpo, considering their options. And Minnesota would have to give up way more than just McDaniels to get a deal done. Ultimately, while it would sting to trade one of their most popular players and more players/picks, the reward of pairing two top-five players would prove to be worthwhile.

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