Edwards has improved his game but believes McDaniels is the man to truly unlock the Wolves’ potential.
Two days before the Timberwolves open the 2025-26 season, Anthony Edwards has improved his ball-handling and added a midrange package. Edwards is looking to run through the wall that has stood between them and the NBA Finals the last two seasons.
“They beat us up,” Edwards said on Sunday, recalling last season’s Western Conference finals where the Wolves were dispatched in five games by the Oklahoma City Thunder. “We shouldn’t come back this year if we’re not motivated.”
Edwards is getting attention after saying to Jon Krawczynski that he’ll bring a championship to the starving Minnesota fan base, but he can’t do it alone. Julius Randle has to be better. Naz Reid has to take a step. Mike Conley can’t fall off. Donte DiVincenzo has to stay healthy. Rudy Gobert needs to regain his dominant form on defense. Jaden McDaniels has to be a force on both ends of the floor for all 82 games and beyond.
Through the second half of last season, McDaniels blossomed, all the way to the point that head coach Chris Finch went as far as to call him a legit two-way player. That’s notable praise for a player chosen 28th overall in the 2020 draft that saw Edwards go No. 1 to Minnesota.
Finch said days after the Thunder eliminated the Wolves, “He’s a legitimate two-way player now. But what we need from him is some more playmaking. He’s getting more touches and more shot attempts. He’s one of the guys who can find Rudy, he can find Ant. That’s a dimension I think would really help us.
According to Edwards, he has observed growth from McDaniels during training camp and the preseason.
Edwards told ESPN on Sunday, “Jaden has definitely got a lot better as far as just making decisions with the ball in hand.” He can score, we all know that. But what are you going to do when you get it, when two people are on you? Just trying to get him to understand, some times the shot is there and some times you can kick it out to the corner and make a play for somebody.
McDaniels failed to live up to expectations during the first three months of last season but saw his scoring, rebounding and playmaking increase come January.
Month PPG REB AST.
Oct. 8.5 2.8 2.5.
Nov. 10.7 4.0 1.8.
Dec. 8.7 5.8 1.2.
Jan. 12.2 6.4 1.6.
Feb. 18.5 8.4 2.9.
Mar. 13.9 5.9 2.8.
Apr. 9.1 4.0 1.3.
Most of the rest of the regular season and into the playoffs, His all-round play was when he averaged 17.4 points and 6.4 rebounds against the Lakers, followed by about 13 points and five rebounds per game in series against the Warriors and Thunder.
How confident is McDaniels ahead of his sixth NBA season?
I think [his confidence is] high right now so we’re trying to keep it there Edwards said of McDaniels. “We’re going to keep giving him the ball. He is able to play with the ball in his hands, he just has to make the right play. He make the right play, we can be 10 times better. He is a great scorer. We just need him to be another facilitator for us.”.
