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Can Jaden McDaniels become more of a scorer for the Timberwolves this year?

McDaniels showed off some improved shot creation in the playoffs last season.

Will Ragatz

May 26, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (3) shoots against the Dallas Mavericks in the first quarter during game three of the western conference finals for the 2024 NBA playoffs at American Airlines Center.
May 26, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (3) shoots against the Dallas Mavericks in the first quarter during game three of the western conference finals for the 2024 NBA playoffs at American Airlines Center. / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
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The Timberwolves' primary goal this offseason has been to improve a middling offense that ranked 17th in O-Rating last year. With minimal resources available, Tim Connelly got creative by trading a 2031 first-rounder and a 2030 pick swap to draft Rob Dillingham eighth overall in June. The Wolves also drafted Terrence Shannon Jr. late in the first round and added Joe Ingles in free agency. Those newcomers could provide more scoring punch on the second unit than Kyle Anderson and Jordan McLaughlin did.

But for the most part, offensive improvement will have to come from the Wolves' core group, which remains in place after a Western Conference Finals run. One potential area of improvement that could be impactful would be a step forward for Jaden McDaniels as a scorer in his fifth season.

McDaniels averaged a career-high 12.1 points per game on roughly 52/40/74 shooting splits in the 2022-23 season. Last year, his average fell to 10.5 points, largely because his three-point percentage plummeted from 39.8 to 33.7. But when the postseason rolled around, McDaniels found a groove again, averaging 12.2 points in the Wolves' 16-game playoff run. He did that by shooting 43 percent from deep on 3.5 attempts per game — but also by displaying some shot creation off the dribble.

This postseason video cut-up from Brett Usher shows McDaniels driving to the rim as well as getting to his spots for some midrange looks.

In an offense centered around Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns, McDaniels is never going to be one of Minnesota's primary scoring options. His role is to knock down open shots and play elite defense. Last year, McDaniels made the NBA All-Defensive second team and finished sixth on the Wolves in scoring behind Edwards, Towns, Rudy Gobert, Naz Reid, and Mike Conley.

With that said, the opportunity exists for McDaniels to become a slightly bigger part of the offense, particularly with teams keying in on Edwards and Towns. Could he go from 8-9 shot attempts per game to 10 or 11? Maybe get to the free throw line a bit more? Doing so could theoretically boost his scoring average from 10-12 points up to the 13-15 range.

McDaniels was a prolific scorer in high school, averaging 23 points per game on his way to being named the Washington Gatorade Player of the Year in 2019. At 6'9", he has the ability to use his length to get to the rim and rise up for shots in the midrange. If he can continue to develop his handle and the consistency of his shot, he could become more and more of a factor in the Wolves' offense.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

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