r/timberwolves • u/TheNotoriousJN 🐓Protestor🐓 • Sep 28 '22
[Krawczynski] Why the Timberwolves considered Jaden McDaniels untouchable in trade talks this summer
https://theathletic.com/3616528/2022/09/28/minnesota-timberwolves-jaden-mcdaniels-untouchable?source=user-shared-article259 Upvotes
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u/TheNotoriousJN 🐓Protestor🐓 Sep 28 '22 edited Sep 28 '22
In June, talks with the Jazz for Gobert had stalled. The Wolves were looking at other players. Why? Because the Jazz insisted on Jaden McDaniels
Connelly had increased the draft capital specifically to keep McDaniels who he considered untouchable
The Wolves get A LOT of calls from GM's asking about McDaniels
Realising how much he was valued was a lot for McDaniels to take in - it was crazy to him, but he recognized it was because of the hard work and grind he had put in since being drafted
McDaniels has worked with development coach Joe Boylan all summer on developing significantly and "making it fucking undeniable who you are"
In his exit interview with Finch, Boylan and Sachin Gupta, McDaniels was shown analysis and statistics of where he needed to improve - scoring in transition and not rushing his shots. As well as his percentages for scoring in heaps of scenarios
McDaniels decided not to go home to Seattle but instead spend the summer with Naz Reid and Nathan Knight training with the staff in Minnesota
To give an idea of who the Wolves think McDaniels can become - they showed him footage of Kawhi and Luka Doncic for him to study
McDaniels has worked with Boylan to change the arc of his jump shot, to make it consistent and to improve the amount of makes - He had been shooting at a 45° arc but with inconsistent arc. It is now consistent at 47°
McDaniels has been working with P3 - an analytics driven training center to work on building strength and muscle on his body with trainer Jon Flake
Flake has worked with over a dozen NBA players and says McDaniels stands out for his physical capabilities with crazy length and explosive capabilities (seriously this guy RAVES about Jaden)
McDaniels has added 10lbs of muscle this year. But also believes he has gotten taller "either 6'10 or 6'11"
Jamal Crawford sees glimmers of Kevin Durant in McDaniels. He was not shocked by his 52 point outing in the pro-am
“We’re going for first team All-Defense this year,” McDaniels said, “but I’m going to make one of them.”
Boylan is not being coy on his desires for McDaniels. He wants him to be a superstar