$40 Million for One Added Year Keeps Jaden McDaniels a Timberwolf Through 2029-30

Photo: NBA.com. Jaden McDaniels, Minnesota Timberwolves forward.

Jaden McDaniels and the Minnesota Timberwolves agreed Monday night to a one-year, $40 million veteran extension, his agents Nima Namakian and Bill Duffy told ESPN's Shams Charania. The deal adds the 2029-30 season to the three years and $84 million he already had left, so Minnesota now owes him $124 million over the next four seasons.

The extension was completed before the 11:59 p.m. ET deadline, per the NBA.com transaction log. HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reported it is the first time a player with three guaranteed years left on a non-max contract has been extended.

The 140% rule

Under the league's veteran-extension rules, a player's next contract can start at up to 140% of his previous salary. Before Monday, his last salary on the books was a $29.8 million cap hit in 2028-29. Now it is $40 million in 2029-30. Run the same 140% math on each figure and the ceiling on his next deal jumps from roughly $41.7 million a year to about $56 million (Dyme math off the rule Hoops Rumors laid out).

The extra season also means he will have 10 years of NBA service before his next contract starts in 2030. That makes him eligible for a richer starting salary if he ever reaches free agency, per Hoops Rumors.

Minnesota's 2029-30 books

Minnesota paid a little under the top. Hoops Rumors put McDaniels' maximum starting salary on an extension at about $41.74 million, so the $40 million figure saves the team around $1.7 million on that one season. McDaniels could have signed for up to two new years. The sides settled on one.

McDaniels and Ayo Dosunmu are now the only Timberwolves with guaranteed money in 2029-30. Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball run through 2028-29. Rudy Gobert holds a $38 million player option for 2027-28.

What he does on the floor

McDaniels made the All-Defensive second team in 2024 and drew All-Defensive votes again in 2025 and 2026, per Hoops Rumors.

Last season he was one of eight NBA players to average at least a steal and a block per game, per NBA.com.

He averaged 14.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 73 games and shot 51.5% from the field and 41.2% from three. His career average sits at 11.1 points, per ESPN.

A new point guard changes his looks

Minnesota traded Julius Randle and Naz Reid this offseason and brought in Ball to start at point guard. The Wolves are bullish that McDaniels takes another offensive step next to him, Hoops Rumors reported.

In the preseason he scored 14.8 points in 20.7 minutes a game across four outings and shot 60.6% from the field and 71.4% from three.

Two picks from the same draft

The Lakers took McDaniels 28th overall in 2020. He went to Oklahoma City on draft night and landed in Minnesota two days later. Edwards went first overall in that same draft.

Edwards and McDaniels, the 2020 No. 1 and No. 28 picks, are both still in Minnesota.

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Sources: Shams Charania/ESPN on X, NBA.com, Hoops Rumors (contract terms, 140% rule, $41.74 million max, Scotto/HoopsHype note, preseason line, 2029-30 roster), ESPN NBA buzz, NBC Sports (Randle and Reid trades), NBA.com on the Hornets trading Ball to Minnesota.