Jaden McDaniels' $40 million extension, and what the Wolves need from him without Edwards

Jaden McDaniels agreed to a one-year, $40 million extension with the Timberwolves on Oct. 19, two days before the opener, keeping him under contract through the 2029-30 season. His agents, Nima Namakian of Innovate Sports and Bill Duffy of WME Basketball, told ESPN's Shams Charania, and ESPN's Jamal Collier laid out the terms.

Nine days later the deal reads differently. Anthony Edwards will have knee surgery on Thursday and could miss up to two months, and McDaniels, already the team's top perimeter defender, will be asked to carry more of the scoring alongside LaMelo Ball. The Edwards story.

The terms

McDaniels signed a five-year, $136 million deal in 2023. The extension adds one year at $40 million on the end of it, so Minnesota now has $124 million committed to the 26-year-old over the next four seasons, ESPN reported. The structure keeps his options open: he can negotiate another extension as early as 2028, starting at up to 140% of the $40 million salary, or he can reach free agency in the summer of 2030 as a 10-year veteran.

The Wolves took him with the 28th pick in the 2020 draft. He is coming off a career year in 2025-26: 14.8 points on 51.5% shooting and 41% from 3, with 4.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.0 blocks. He was better in the playoffs, at 16.3 points a game, and scored 32 in Game 6 to close out Denver in the first round. He also drew the fourth-most defensive matchups against 2026 All-Stars of any player last season, ESPN reported, citing GeniusIQ.

Four games in

He has started the new deal well. Through four games McDaniels is averaging 15.0 points on 26-of-44 shooting, 59%, with 6.5 rebounds and five blocks, by ESPN's box scores. He scored 17 on 8-of-11 shooting in the opener at Miami, 15 at Orlando and 14 in the home opener against Toronto, where he blocked three shots. At Cleveland on Monday he scored 14 on 6-of-9 shooting in 37 minutes before fouling out in overtime, and the Wolves lost by two.

That last detail is the one to watch. McDaniels has committed 15 fouls in four games, and without Edwards the Wolves can less afford to lose him to foul trouble on either end. Edwards said before the season that he expected McDaniels to make the All-Star team this year. With Edwards out, McDaniels gets more shots to make the case.

The Wolves host Golden State tonight at 8 p.m. ET. Prices are on the game page, and the rest of the schedule is on the team page.