The Minnesota Timberwolves and forward Jaden McDaniels agreed to a massive contract extension on Monday.
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels has agreed to a five-year, $136M contract extension, his agents Nima Namakian of @InnovateSports and Bill Duffy of @WME_Sports tell me and @JonKrawczynski.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 23, 2023
The deal is a high-risk, high-reward decision for the Wolves, putting themselves in a difficult (and almost unprecedented for their franchise) financial position. McDaniels is coming off a breakout third season in the NBA though, one in which he averaged career highs in points (12.1), assists (1.9), steals (0.9) and minutes per contest (30.6), as well as 3.9 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game. The 23-year-old also had his best field goal (51.7%) and three-point field goal percentages (39.8%) and tied with superstar Anthony Edwards for the team lead in games and games started (79).
McDaniels was second on the squad in blocks and blocks per game, trailing only former Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert. He was second on the team in field percentage among players who averaged at least 20 minutes per contest, behind only Gobert.
The former first round pick's 2022-23 campaign ended in embarrassing fashion, however, when he suffered a season-ending hand fracture after he punched a wall in frustration during the regular-season finale. The injury caused McDaniels to miss both of Minnesota's play-in tournament games, as well as the entire first-round series defeat against the Denver Nuggets.
Basketball media members had differing opinions on the extension.
Great deal for him and the Wolves. My guess is that Jaden outplays this contract https://t.co/tZmGqY7MXy
— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) October 23, 2023
This seems a little hefty. T’Wolves banking on the upside of McDaniels. https://t.co/tbpR2veDwC
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) October 23, 2023
I had Jaden McDaniels at 4/$100M in my extension predictions. Came in a little bit more, but right in range.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) October 23, 2023
McDaniels was quietly awesome last year.
Keith Smith of Spotrac and Shams Charania of The Athletic broke down just how much of an investment the McDaniels deal is and what kind of spot financially it puts the Timberwolves in. Entering only his fourth season, however, Charania cited the youngster's talent, calling him a "potential" Defensive Player of the Year candidate.
McDaniels -- a potential Defensive Player of the Year candidate -- was the 28th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and averaged 12.1 points and 3.9 rebounds per game as a breakout player last season. https://t.co/oNqgEuRh3r
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 23, 2023
I've got the Wolves at roughly $167M for just five players (Towns, Edwards, Gobert, McDaniels, Reid) next season (2024-25).
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) October 23, 2023
That's roughly $23-24M to spend under the second apron to fill nine spots.
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