The Timberwolves and forward Jaden McDaniels have agreed to a one-year veteran extension worth $40 million, ESPN reported, citing his agents, Nima Namakian and Bill Duffy. The deal keeps McDaniels under contract through 2029-30. Hoops Rumors' Luke Adams noted that McDaniels was already signed for three years and $84 million, so the new money applies to 2029-30 and sits on top of that existing deal. Hoops Rumors, Yahoo Sports and Sportsnet all carried the same $40 million figure and one-year length.
The feed summaries we have don't give a per-year breakdown, options or any trade protection. They also don't include a comment from the club or the player. The Hoops Rumors summary cuts off before it gives his new total salary, so we won't put a combined figure on the deal.
The production behind it is steady. McDaniels played 73 games last season, all as a starter, and averaged 14.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.0 blocks and 1.1 steals in 31.7 minutes. He shot 51.5% from the field and 41.2% from three on 3.4 attempts a game. That scoring average is a career high in our tables, up from 12.2 points the year before, when he played all 82 games and averaged 5.7 rebounds.
Yahoo Sports framed the deal around the Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball pairing, saying McDaniels will be key if Minnesota is going to thrive in that era. Last season Edwards averaged 48.9% shooting over 61 games, and Ball shot 40.7% over 72 games while taking 10.3 threes a game. A forward who shot 41.2% from three alongside those two is the kind of fit that framing points to. That fit is Yahoo's argument, not something the contract terms show.
The season has started unevenly. Minnesota is 3-3, fourth in the Northwest, and on a two-game skid. It won 122-104 at New York on Oct. 12. Then it lost 128-106 to Detroit on Oct. 14 and 133-116 at Chicago on Oct. 16.
3-34th in NorthwestStreak L2
The Timberwolves play at Miami on Wednesday, Oct. 21, and at Orlando on Friday, Oct. 23. The first chance to see McDaniels play on his new deal comes in Miami.
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