The Minnesota Timberwolves have a 15-8 record, 22 games into the season. Despite being on a five-game win streak, there’s some level of concern about the Wolves’ contender credentials. I get this isn’t a perfect roster; they lack point guard play and depth. At some point, a trade will likely be necessary.

However, one thing that bodes well for the Wolves’ contention chances is Jaden McDaniels taking a massive leap. McDaniels is averaging 16 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.5 assists on 53.5/48.6/86 shooting splits. This is a 3.8 ppg leap from last season and a 15.6 3PT percentage leap, which is truly remarkable.

The Wolves’ recent win over the LA Clippers highlights why McDaniels makes them so dangerous. McDaniels racked up a team-high 27 points, on 10-13 shooting. In a game that Anthony Edwards struggled in (15 points on 3-11 shooting), McDaniels picked up the slack and helped will the Wolves to victory.

While Edwards and Julius Randle are fantastic first and second options, every title-winning team needs a dependable third option, which is what McDaniels provides them.

27 points on 88.8% true shooting + 3 stocks for McDaniels pic.twitter.com/BZGFYBVb4w

— ALL NBA Podcast (@ALLCITY_NBA) December 7, 2025Jaden McDaniels’ leap is exactly what the Timberwolves need to reach the next level

McDaniels has long been one of the NBA’s best defenders, but now he is a true two-way threat. With his offensive leap, McDaniels now provides the Wolves with a dependable kickout option and an extra shot creator. This skill set will be especially valuable in the playoffs when teams zero in on Edwards and Randle even more.

One of the most shocking aspects of McDaniels’ growth is his pull-up shooting. Impressively, McDaniels is shooting 42.1 percent on pull-up 3-pointers. Last year, he shot just 32.4 percent on pull-up 3s. This has also benefited McDaniels as a mid-range scorer, an area he has gone to more this season.

The Washington product has long been an elite finisher. However, McDaniels has never been more aggressive than this season. He is averaging a career-high 6.6 drives per game while shooting an impressive 53.5 percent on these drives. Likewise, McDaniels is shooting 70.7 percent on a career-high 3.4 rim attempts.

McDaniels taking this leap as a self-creator with his elite positional size (6-foot-9) makes him a matchup nightmare, and it boosts the Wolves’ upside.

Minnesota has made two straight conference finals appearances. Getting back to this stage (and certainly past it) in a conference that features a dominant Oklahoma City Thunder squad will be incredibly challenging. Regardless, McDaniels’ growth gives the Wolves more offensive firepower and, on paper, more upside.