Anthony Edwards has never been shy about where he stands on Jaden McDaniels. He has called McDaniels his favorite player in the league and made it clear that he thinks his Timberwolves teammate deserves a larger role. With that in mind, the idea of McDaniels taking another step this season should land especially well with Edwards.
McDaniels already put together the best scoring season of his career last year, averaging 14.8 points per game while shooting 51.5/41.2/83.5. That production backed up what Minnesota has seen for a while now: a player who can score efficiently at all three levels and create more than most forwards his size.
The path to a bigger jump looks more open now. LaMelo Ball’s arrival should help set the table, and the move away from the isolation-heavy, non-floor-spacing Julius Randle should also work in McDaniels’ favor. McDaniels is also heading into his age-26 season, so there’s still room for growth simply based on where he is in his career.
For Edwards, the connection goes beyond basketball fit. He and McDaniels entered the league together in 2020 and have grown up side by side.
McDaniels has gone from defensive specialist to impactful two-way player, and Edwards has clearly enjoyed watching that evolution. Still, there’s a sense that more is there if Minnesota gives him the chance.
Ball’s role should matter here too. Last season in Charlotte, he showed he can operate with less scoring responsibility, averaging 17.3 field goal attempts and 20.1 points, both down from the year before. That helped create space for Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel, and the same kind of facilitation should be expected in Minnesota alongside Anthony Edwards.
That matters because the Timberwolves need more creators, especially McDaniels. Ball can help him in a few different ways: open looks from three, chances in transition, and opportunities created by the attention Ball draws as a shooter. The fit gives McDaniels a better chance to cash in on the efficiency he’s already shown.
There’s evidence he can handle a bigger workload. In last year’s playoffs, McDaniels averaged 16.3 points.
During the regular season, he had 16 games of 20 or more points, and in 16 of those 17 games he hit at least half his shots. Nine of those games came with him making at least 70 percent of his attempts.
Even with those numbers, he still finished fourth on the team in shot attempts and posted an 18.2 usage rate, which sat just above Terrence Shannon Jr. and below Ayo Dosunmu. That leaves room for Minnesota to lean on him more if the offense is going to fully tap into what he can do.
A realistic range for McDaniels this season looks like 17 to 18 points per game, with 20 points not out of the question. If that happens, Edwards is likely to be thrilled. After all, few things would make him happier than seeing his longtime teammate reach another level.
In Other News...
Anthony Edwards No Longer Has To Carry The Wolves This Way
The Timberwolves finally have a clearer path for Anthony Edwards, and it starts with LaMelo Ball taking over the lead-guard duties. For a team that spent stretches asking Edwards to do a little bit of everything, the fit now looks cleaner: Ball can organize the offense, Edwards can settle into more of a natural scoring role, and Chris Finch believes the whole group benefits when the backcourt is defined that way.
Finch has made no secret that the new setup should streamline Minnesotas offense and make life easier for the players around its stars. The interesting part is how quickly that adjustment could ripple beyond the headline names, because Balls presence changes more than just where Edwards catches the ball. It gives the Wolves a different shape, a better flow, and a chance to see how much more efficient this group can be when the pieces stop overlapping so much. [Read more 🡒]
Chris Finch Just Sent A Powerful Message About Anthony Edwards
Chris Finch is still thinking about the way he handled Anthony Edwards after Game 1 of the Timberwolves 2025 semifinals series against the Warriors. On The Road Trippin' podcast, the Minnesota coach admitted he regretted criticizing his star guard in public, saying the call-out was unnecessary. It was a revealing moment from a coach who has usually leaned on trust and candor with his best player, and it said as much about Finchs standards as it did about the growing responsibility Edwards carries for this team.
Finch also made clear the relationship between the two remains strong, which matters for a Wolves group that has continued to build around Edwards rise as both a scorer and a leader. The more interesting part now is how naturally Edwards handled the response, turning it into a productive stretch for the rest of the series and reinforcing why Finch views him as more than just a talented young star. In a season where Minnesotas ceiling depends so heavily on Edwards growth, even a moment of friction seemed to underline how far he has come. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Interest In Jonathan Kuminga Just Hit A Serious Roadblock
Jonathan Kumingas market is starting to sort itself out, and from the Timberwolves perspective, the numbers have already done most of the talking. The Lakers have reportedly put together a sign-and-trade framework worth around $45 million, while other suitors have begun to pivot or narrow their focus elsewhere. Minnesota, along with Sacramento, has been interested, but only at a price point that reflects a much smaller commitment than Kuminga is likely looking for.
That leaves the Wolves in a familiar kind of bind: interested enough to monitor the situation, but not aggressive enough to move the needle on a player with real upside. Kuminga is not viewed as a veteran-minimum add-on, and he is not eager to settle for a short-term bargain deal while better offers are taking shape elsewhere. For Minnesota, the question is no longer whether he is on the radar, but whether there is any realistic path to getting him without outbidding the very market that has now made the roadblock obvious. [Read more 🡒]