The Minnesota Timberwolves' organization has never been shy about its belief in Jaden McDaniels. Recently, Jake Fischer noted the Wolves are out of the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes (for now) in part due to wanting to keep McDaniels.
While McDaniels is popular among all fans, the decision to seemingly hold him out of trade talks for Giannis is a controversial one. Some fans would argue that trading a soon-to-be 26-year-old forward (along with more key players and assets) who should continue to improve on offense is a step too far. Conversely, others would argue that if you have the chance to pair Giannis with Anthony Edwards, you do that.Â
Spoiler alert, I subscribe to the former way of thinking. Depth and fit matter equally if not more than star power in the modern NBA, and McDaniels' two-way impact is immensely valuable. Regardless of how the rest of Minnesota's roster shakes out, I firmly believe that McDaniels will reach another level and prove the Wolves right for believing in him next season.
Again, the Wolves' belief in McDaniels is nothing new -- four years ago, they held him out of the Rudy Gobert, opting to send a treasure trove of picks instead. Many observers mocked this decision. In fairness, McDaniels was a raw offensive player at the time.Â
The Wolves knew he had another level to reach, though, and that he did. McDaniels became one of the best complementary wings in the league, and it's fair to believe that he's not done improving. Hanging onto him undoubtedly paid off four years ago, and it will again.
Jaden McDaniels is poised to level up, and the Wolves know it
There's some real uncertainty around how the Wolves will upgrade their roster in the offseason. Jake Fischer saying that Ayo Dosunmu is the biggest addition we can expect is cause for concern.
I will never discount the possibility that a Tim Connelly-led operation will add a star, though.
Even if the Wolves don't pull off a blockbuster trade, simply moving off Julius Randle would help open up more on-ball duties for McDaniels.
Whoever the Wolves add will need to be comfortable playing off the ball, as it's clear the team will focus on McDaniels' offensive growth. Connelly spoke about empowering McDaniels more during his end-of-season press conference.Â
“I think without question it’s discussions we’ve had over the last several years. Jaden has a whole ‘nother gear to reach. In a closeout game, to have 32 and 10 against a really, really good team. We want to keep raising the bar. As good as he is, we know his best basketball is in front of him. I think there’s a lot more he can unlock as a playmaker too. We have to ensure that he’s in a position to do those things. He’s a guy that, offensively, has a whole ‘nother place he can get to and we’re confident he can get there," Connelly said.Â
McDaniels is coming off a career-best season where he averaged 14.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists on 51.5/41.2/83.5 shooting splits. And this was in an offense that didn't prioritize him as a creator.Â
To Connelly's point, McDaniels' first-round series, especially his 32-point performance in Game 6, offers evidence that he can scale up to handle more self-creation duties.Â
Whether the Wolves land a traditional second option or bank on internal development from McDaniels and others, it's fair to expect the Washington product to build off his strong 2025-26 season.Â
I won't guarantee that he will emerge as a clear-cut second option alongside Ant. Nevertheless, what I can guarantee is that McDaniels' offensive growth will continue. He has shown too much promise as a creator not to level up with more responsibilities, and his true prime is only beginning.Â
This, paired with his otherworldly defense, makes him an indispensable piece of the Wolves' future. The Wolves being determined to keep McDaniels at all costs, even in a trade for someone like Giannis, is undoubtedly a bold vote of confidence. However, by this time next year, they'll look wise for their unwavering belief.Â
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