The Timberwolves appear to be leaning toward keeping Jaden McDaniels right where he’s been at his best, but that choice comes with a real catch.
After the addition of LaMelo Ball and the departures of Naz Reid and Julius Randle, plenty of fans figured McDaniels would move up to power forward. That idea got a lot shakier earlier this week when Chris Finch told Chris Hine of The Star Tribune, “In my mind’s eye, I don’t see that as a starting lineup with him (McDaniels) there (at the power forward).” Tim Connelly then added in an interview with Dan Barreiro of KFAN that the team has internal power forward options it feels good about, even if some of them might be "left-fieldish" to people outside the building.
Taken together, those comments point toward McDaniels staying on the wing as a jumbo point-of-attack defender. That makes sense on paper.
He’s one of the league’s best perimeter stoppers, and Minnesota knows exactly what it gets from him there. But the Wolves still have to answer a tougher question: is it better to preserve McDaniels in the role he already dominates, or ask him to spend more time checking bigger forwards while someone else handles the guards?
That’s where the risk shows up either way. If McDaniels stays on the perimeter, Minnesota has to trust other options to handle opposing power forwards. If he moves up, the Wolves are asking a 185-pound defender to battle more physical players in a role that would be new territory for him.
The names behind him matter here. Terrence Shannon Jr., Jaylen Clark, and Josh Green could be asked to defend forwards, but that’s not exactly a comforting answer against high-level size. On the other side, there’s also the question of whether Anthony Edwards and Ayo Dosunmu can hold up against top guards if McDaniels is shifted away from them.
McDaniels is still the best answer Minnesota has for both jobs, even if he has never really been used as a forward defender. That’s what makes the situation so tricky. The Wolves don’t have a clean solution, and unless the roster changes in a meaningful way, this is the kind of offseason debate that’s going to hang over them for a while.
There is at least one more addition coming, but barring something dramatic - like signing LeBron James or pulling off a late offseason trade - Minnesota still doesn’t look like a team with a truly dependable answer at the four. Georges Niang is one realistic free-agent option, and while he’s a solid defender, he wouldn’t exactly make you breathe easy against elite forwards.
Connelly’s “left-fieldish” comment also hints that Shannon, Clark, or Green could be in line for a different kind of role, maybe even a starting one. That possibility doesn’t disappear even if the Wolves land someone like Niang, who would likely play around 20 minutes a night. It’s an intriguing path, but one that carries its own danger.
For now, the signs point to McDaniels remaining Minnesota’s perimeter stopper. If that’s the plan, then the Wolves will need to shuffle things elsewhere to cover the forward spot. And even if that’s where they start, the defense against bigger wings and forwards may be such a concern that McDaniels ends up sliding up early in the season anyway.
In Other News...
Jaylen Clark Faces The One Question That Could Define His Wolves Role
Jaylen Clark is back on a three-year, $10 million deal, and that alone says the Timberwolves still see value in what he already does well. His defense has made him a useful piece, the kind of wing who can raise the floor for a rotation that needs length, activity and toughness on the perimeter.
The question is whether that defensive utility can hold up if the shot never fully comes around. Clarks spot in the lineup has been tied to his three-point consistency, and his ability to stay on the floor will likely hinge on becoming a more reliable catch-and-shoot option. If that part of his game clicks, he has a path to a much bigger role in Minnesota. [Read more 🡒]
Trading Randle Wont Erase The Timberwolves Biggest Early Threat
Trading Julius Randle may have changed the look of Minnesotas roster, but it does not automatically solve the bigger problem hanging over the Timberwolves. Britt Robsons read is that the moodiness around the team is more symptom than cause, a reflection of the situation the group has been in rather than one player alone. In other words, the chemistry questions are still there even after the move.
That is why the next stretch matters so much for Chris Finch and the core around him. Finch will have to coach differently, Anthony Edwards will need to approach the season differently, and any new addition such as LaMelo Ball would have to be shaped into the best possible fit. Even then, the Wolves would still be betting on Ball to avoid the habits that have raised concerns before, while getting steadier play from Jaden McDaniels and TJ Shannon Jr. along the way. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Just Made Another Move Wolves Fans Needed To See
The Thunders offseason has taken another sharp turn, and for Minnesota, it is the kind of development worth watching closely. Oklahoma City has been trimming payroll and reshaping the roster around a cost-cutting plan that already sent Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe elsewhere, signaling a willingness to sacrifice some of the depth that helped make the team so tough to play against.
For the Timberwolves, the bigger question is what all of that means when the Western Conference race tightens up. Oklahoma City still has the look of a contender, but every move that chips away at its defensive versatility gives Minnesota a little more reason to believe there is room to close the gap, especially in a conference where margins can swing quickly from one roster decision to the next. [Read more 🡒]