For years, Jaden McDaniels built his value by making life difficult for the NBA’s best scorers. Defense became his identity, even as flashes of offensive growth appeared every season. The Minnesota Timberwolves always believed there was more to his game, but giving him consistent chances was never simple. According to head coach Chris Finch, that finally changed during the 2025-26 season.
Chris Finch Did One Thing Differently To Unlock Jaden McDaniels
Chris Finch Saw Steady Growth
McDaniels’ offensive improvement did not surprise the Timberwolves coaching staff. Finch explained that the forward had been adding to his game over several seasons. The bigger change came from the team’s willingness to involve him more often. Instead of asking him to wait for open shots, Minnesota created more possessions with the ball in his hands.
Finch believes that progress had been there all along. He said, “He just continues to get a little bit better every year at things that he’s had in his game, and we’ve just been able to put him in a position or have the opportunities to kind of better utilize it.” Those comments suggest the coaching staff viewed opportunity, not talent, as the missing piece.
Offensive Chances Were Limited
Finding touches for every scorer is one of the hardest jobs for any NBA coach. Minnesota has spent the past few seasons with several players who naturally command the ball. That often left McDaniels in a supporting role, even though his offensive skills continued to improve behind the scenes. It also reflected the team’s ongoing identity questions, which have shaped several important decisions over the past few seasons.
Chris Finch on Jaden McDaniels: he just continues to get a little bit better every year at things that he’s had in his game, and we’ve just been able to put him in a position or have the opportunities to kind of better utilize it. I’ve said this many times. Sometimes just a usage… pic.twitter.com/yJcAFYVkGm
— Nadine Babu (@NadineBabu) July 9, 2026
Finch admitted that balancing those responsibilities was not easy. He explained, “I’ve said this many times. Sometimes just a usage puzzle. You have a lot of guys on the floor that need the ball that are really good, and sometimes people don’t have that opportunity, you know.” Rather than changing McDaniels as a player, the Timberwolves changed the situations they put him in. The adjustment also addressed an offensive imbalance that had limited the team in previous seasons.
Bigger Role Brought Results
The extra responsibility quickly showed up on the stat sheet. McDaniels appeared in 73 games, starting every one of them. He averaged career highs of 14.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting 51.5 percent from the field, 41.2 percent from three and 83.5 percent from the free throw line.
Those numbers tell only part of the story. McDaniels became much more comfortable attacking defenders instead of waiting behind the 3-point line. He handled the ball more often, finished stronger around the basket and made better decisions in transition. His offensive game looked far more complete than it had in previous seasons.
Minnesota Needs More Again
The Timberwolves finished 49-33 before falling to the San Antonio Spurs in six games during the first round of the playoffs. That series exposed Minnesota’s biggest problem, showing the team still has room to improve despite another winning season. As the roster changes around Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball, McDaniels’ continued growth could become even more important.
At 25 years old, McDaniels is still at the beginning of his career. He plays great defense, making him a reliable player for Minnesota every game. If he improves his offensive skills, the Timberwolves could have another player who can take on more responsibility when it counts.
Photo Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
