When Anthony Edwards is out, the Minnesota Timberwolves don’t just need someone to fill the scoring void-they need someone to step into the moment. And Jaden McDaniels has been doing just that.
Monday night against the Golden State Warriors marked the 10th time this season that McDaniels has suited up without Edwards in the lineup. And once again, he answered the call.
The Wolves snapped a five-game losing streak with a balanced offensive effort, and McDaniels played his part, dropping 14 points and hitting two of his four shots from deep. It wasn’t a flashy performance, but it was effective-exactly what Minnesota needed.
This isn’t a one-off. In all 10 games without Edwards this season, McDaniels has scored in double figures.
He’s averaging 18.8 points in those matchups, shooting a blistering 52.6% from the field and 45% from three. That’s not just solid production-that’s efficient production.
It’s the kind of performance that shows McDaniels isn’t just a defensive stopper or a complementary piece. He’s capable of being a go-to option when the situation calls for it.
Head coach Chris Finch has noticed the shift, too. He pointed out that McDaniels tends to be more aggressive when the ball finds him naturally in the flow of the offense-when he knows he’s going to get touches, he trusts the rhythm. And when McDaniels trusts the rhythm, good things happen.
Now, when both Edwards and McDaniels are on the court together-which has been the case in 36 games this season-the numbers tell a different story. McDaniels’ scoring dips to 13.6 points per game.
His shooting percentages slide a bit too, down to 50.1% from the field and 40.7% from beyond the arc. He’s taking fewer shots (10.3 per game vs.
13.2 without Edwards), but the real difference isn’t just in volume-it’s in efficiency. Without Edwards, McDaniels is simply more locked in as a scorer.
Still, even with the dip in shared minutes, this is shaping up to be McDaniels’ best offensive season yet. He’s averaging 14.8 points per game overall-more than two and a half points better than any other year in his career.
And his 42.3% shooting from deep? That’s a career high by a wide margin.
He’s never cracked the 40% mark from three before, and now he’s comfortably above it. That kind of leap doesn’t happen by accident.
It’s the product of confidence, reps, and a growing understanding of how to pick his spots.
What’s especially encouraging for the Wolves is that McDaniels’ offensive growth isn’t just a blip. It’s a continuation of what we saw in last year’s playoffs, where he started to show flashes of a more assertive scoring mindset. This season, that mindset is showing up more consistently-especially when the team needs him most.
Yes, it’s natural for a third or fourth option to see a bump in numbers when the star is sidelined. But McDaniels isn’t just padding stats. He’s showing that he can carry a larger offensive load without sacrificing efficiency-something that’s much harder to do than it sounds.
The next step? Bringing that same assertiveness when Edwards is in the lineup.
If McDaniels can maintain even a portion of that production while playing alongside Ant-Man, the Timberwolves could have something special. A true two-way force who can defend elite wings on one end and punish defenses with smart, efficient scoring on the other.
At 25, McDaniels is still climbing. And if this season is any indication, he’s just starting to scratch the surface of what he can become.