The phrase addition by subtraction has been thrown around by Minnesota Timberwolves fans when discussing Julius Randle being traded, which feels like a matter of when, not if, at this point.
Not only did Randle struggle immensely in the playoffs, but his heliocentric style of play and lack of comfort level off the ball inherently limit the impact and involvement of other players. Randle still has plenty of talent, but his playstyle undoubtedly makes him a tricky fit with many players.
That's where this concept of addition by subtraction comes into play, and Jaden McDaniels is certainly one of the players who would benefit the most from Randle being traded.
McDaniels needs to be more involved in the Timberwolves offense
McDaniels enjoyed a career season this past year, averaging 14.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists on 51.5/41.2/83.5 shooting splits. Fans have long felt like McDaniels has another level to reach on offense, and we finally got a taste of that this past season.
Even still, McDaniels felt underutilized in the Wolves' offense. He earned just 0.9 more shots than last season, and his usage rate remained below 20 despite clearly leveling up on offense. A 53rd-percentile offensive involvement ranking per BBall Index also highlights the need for McDaniels to get more responsibilities.
In general, most of McDaniels' points weren't on plays designed for him; instead, they came in the flow of the offense.
Maybe McDaniels will always excel in a role like this. However, there's no denying that Randle being empowered as a primary initiator, or as Chris Finch called him, the team's most important player, negatively impacted McDaniels more than just about anyone. Additionally, McDaniels has improved enough as a creator to be given more of a focal point in the offense.
We saw McDaniels' improved shot creation chops on full display in the playoffs when he averaged 16.3 points, including a famous 32-point performance in a series-clinching win against the Denver Nuggets with Anthony Edwards sidelined.
Does McDaniels have enough juice and consistency as a creator to be a legitimate No. 2 option alongside Edwards? While I wouldn't rule it out, I can't say he has definitively shown enough to be a clear-cut No. 2 option alongside Ant-Man. What I can say, though, is that he absolutely has shown enough to be given more offensive responsibilities, and Randle's playstyle limited his involvement.
The Wolves must find a star who is comfortable playing off the ball
If the Wolves can't acquire a top-tier star, it's fair to believe that they will pivot to might land a second-option-caliber player for Randle. Perhaps Gobert will be the centerpiece, and Randle will be shipped out for a depth-based trade.
In any event, it's fair to expect the Wolves to add some star-level talent, likely at the guard spot. I can't stress how important it is that this player is comfortable playing off-ball or taking a backseat when needed, though. Obviously, entering a team led by Ant, you need to be comfortable playing a spot-up or off-ball role at times.
As important as this is, whoever the Wolves trade for will also have to be okay with letting McDaniels and others initiate offense at times. Kyrie Irving is the perfect trade target for me, given his elite three-level scoring abilities and versatility off the ball. Tyler Herro and Norman Powell are subpar defenders, but they fit this bill of capable creators and willing off-ball players.
Dejounte Murray is an intriguing name. While his spot-up shooting could be problematic, I could see him being comfortable having less usage in the offense and allowing McDaniels to take on a bigger role.
The point is, whoever the Wolves trade for needs to be comfortable playing both on and off the ball. Unfortunately, Randle wasn't comfortable with the latter, which hurt how he fit with Edwards, limited McDaniels' opportunities, and caused other issues for Minnesota.
Entering his age-26 season with a roster that hopefully lends itself to him having more creation duties, we could see the actualized version of McDaniels this season, and that could, in turn, help Minnesota reach another level.
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