Minnesota Timberwolves Forward Jaden McDaniels Signs $40M Extension

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels has agreed to a one-year contract extension worth $40 million, securing his future with the franchise through the 2029-30 season. The agreement was finalized just ahead of the team's season opener against the Miami Heat at the Kaseya Center.

First reported by ESPN's Shams Charania, the deal locks in one of the league's premier two-way players. McDaniels' agents, Nima Namakian of Innovate Sports and Bill Duffy of WME Basketball, negotiated the extension, which guarantees the 26-year-old will remain an anchor of the Timberwolves' core for years to come.

Reflecting on his arrival in Minnesota, McDaniels admitted that joining the organization was not originally part of his plans. Selected 28th overall in the 2020 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers before his rights moved to the Timberwolves, the forward confessed he initially hoped the franchise would pass on him.

"In the draft process, I didn't know where I was going. This was actually the team I was trying to stay away from," McDaniels told Dane Moore on X, citing the team's struggles at the time after a 19-45 campaign. "So I ended up coming here not knowing how it was gonna be. The first year was terrible, but after that, we started winning, building, getting better and adding more pieces. It has just been a good situation."

Over his six seasons in Minnesota, McDaniels has developed into an elite perimeter defender and an essential offensive contributor. During the previous regular season, he posted career-high averages of 14.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.0 blocks across 73 games, while shooting 51.5 percent from the field.

His all-around impact has drawn high praise from teammates and analysts alike. New teammate LaMelo Ball likened his skill set to that of a video game player, noting his ability to guard multiple positions, run the floor, and shoot from beyond the arc at 6 feet 10 inches tall.

The Timberwolves enter the 2026-27 season with high expectations following a busy offseason that featured major roster adjustments, including the acquisition of Ball. With McDaniels signed through the end of the decade, Minnesota aims to build on its recent playoff successes and position itself as a top contender in the Western Conference.