Jaden McDaniels is eligible for a two-year, $87 million extension at the beginning of October. This deal would pay him $42 million in the 2029-30 season and $45 million in the 2030-31 season. That hefty number is understandably giving Minnesota Timberwolves fans cause for pause.
Nevertheless, OG Anunoby's contract should serve as a blueprint for how the Wolves should navigate McDaniels' extension.
Back in 2024, Anunoby signed a five-year, $212.5 million contract extension (a deal that equates to $42.5 million per year). Does anyone think this is a bad contract? Absolutely not, as Anunoby has proven to be a vital part of the New York Knicks team that's two games away from winning a championship.
At five years, this contract was far more of a long-term investment than McDaniels' two-year extension, but it's nearly identical from an annual value standpoint.
OG Anunoby and Jaden McDaniels are similar players
In addition to his otherworldly defense, Anunoby is averaging an impressive 19.9 points per game in the playoffs. Despite the Knicks losing in Game 3, his 28-point performance is a testament to his offensive impact.
Like it or not, this is simply the price you have to pay for high-end two-way wings in the modern NBA. But make no mistake, this archetype is extremely valuable. As the Wolves are trying to make a jump to title contention, locking McDaniels up until 2031 would be logical.
There are plenty of similarities between McDaniels and Anunoby. For starters, both players are elite jumbo-sized point-of-attack defenders with the ability to wreak havoc off the ball and guard multiple positions. We saw McDaniels' immense defensive value against Jamal Murray in the first-round. Likewise, OG has served as the Knicks' primary on-ball stopper.
Offensively, these players have always been talented yet somewhat inconsistent. When the Knicks extended Anunoby, he was 26 (just like McDaniels will be when he's extension eligible). Furthermore, Anunoby averaged 14.7 points the year before an extension, and McDaniels averaged a nearly identical 14.8 points this past season.
Anunoby averaged 17.1 points and 16.8 points during his final full two years in Toronto, showing that he had another level to reach. McDaniels' 16.3 points in this year's playoffs should serve as a promising sign of his upside. Plus, the 6-foot-9 wing is an elite finisher with quality shot creation chops at all three levels.
The Knicks bet on OG ironing out his inconsistencies and becoming a clear-cut third option -- it paid off.
Minnesota could be making a similar bet on McDaniels, and if they strike out on trading for a co-star, they might be counting on him for more than just third option production. If McDaniels reaches another level offensively, this deal would return value down the road.
As it stands, McDaniels is a notch below OG, but I would argue they are in the same ballpark.
While McDaniels showed some level of offensive inconsistency last year, his play in the postseason should dampen these concerns. With a more consistent offensive role, I feel confident saying McDaniels can be a high-end third option at the bare minimum. Even if he generally stays the same, I don't think a two-year, $87 million extension would age poorly.
This decision is still a few months out, but the Timberwolves need to keep Anunoby in mind as they debate extending McDaniels.
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