In the 2023 offseason, the Minnesota Timberwolves signed forward Jaden McDaniels to a five-year/$136 million rookie scale extension. At the time, it was seen as a major overpay by many, but those talks have mostly vanished in the ensuing years due to his play on the court.
Now in his sixth season, McDaniels has always been a more polished player on the defensive end floor. The 25-year-old had been making massive strides, though, on his weaker side of the court for much of the early stages of the 2025-26 season. Recent reports have also stated that the Timberwolves see McDaniels as untouchable in trade talks.