The Official Jaden McDaniels Thread

[TwolvesFanRome]

This is a fantastic news!!!!

[shrink]

The Gobert trade has nothing to do with JMcD extensions. They could paid JMcD max but JMcD is not a max player so you will be stuck with him like Wiggins, if you do. It's all about JMcD and his agent's salary expectations vs Wolves management expectations. He is somewhere between 20m to 25m a year player. If he thinks he's going to make a big jump and test restricted free agency, then good for him but I think he will be disappointed.

Correct. If Jaden was Ant II, do you think whether Gobert was paid $2 mil or $60 mil, it would keep MIN from locking him up on a max? In the end, Jaden is worth what he’s worth, and I believe MIN is going to pay him that - most likely next season

To me, this is just another attempt to scapegoat Gobert for anything that a person doesn’t like. We haven’t seen a Jaden extension? It must be Gobert’s fault! Ant is shooting too many mid-rangers? It must be Gobert’s fault! DLo and Ant struggle to feed Gobert, but Conley and SloMo do it just fine? Gobert’s fault!

Rudy Gobert is not a magic boogeyman. He is not responsible for all the bad in the world.

You're way smarter than this, shrink. I choose my words very intentionally and typically you do as well. You have forgotten more about the cap and CBA than most of us (including myself) will ever know on the subject. In terms of financial flexibility, do the Wolves have more or less flexibility than before making the Gobert trade? It's not a question of worth, or even perceived worth, that I'm interested in.

You’re right, but then you have to admit we have less financial flexibility giving Ant an extension too, if it’s not a question of worth. The scapegoat stuff was more directed at other people in the other thread.

What I think is happening is that Jaden and his agent, Bill Duffy, are negotiating hard. Duffy represents several superstar clients, like Ant, Julius Randle, Chet Holmgren, Luka Doncic, etc. Duffy was also the agent for DeAndre Ayton, and he was able to get the Suns to pony up a max deal they didn’t want to pay by refusing an extension, and finding a team the following season who would offer a max that PHX was forced to pay. I think he and Jaden were trying to hold out for the max. Right now, projections have max deals starting at $34 mil a year. This is not much more than the $30 mil we see being handed out for comparable free agents by other teams.

EDIT: 5 years, $136 is a winner! Actually a little less than I thought!

[NebWolvesFan]

I'm interested what the first year number will be and if Minnesota can get under the second apron with Ant, KAT, Rudy and JMac. I'm fine with trading KAT or Rudy in the right deal. I just want their to be a option of keeping them, so the Wolves don't look desperate on the trade market.

[TimberKat]

It is finished. JMcD signed and wondering how much of the 136m contract is incentives. Avg to 27M. Just a little on the high side but now I can move on. You guys should Thank Gobert for getting it done

[shrink]

This deal is close to the max, but it has the team benefit of being written as actual numbers. Max deals (like Ant’s) are written like “25% of the salary cap.” Jaden’s contract protects the Wolves from a big jump in the cap next year, and there are rumors that the league is under-estimating the cap projection until they see the revenues this year.

Time to celebrate! Jaden is locked up! And also time to go read the Trade Board and hear all those people who always underestimate Jaden to say how the Wolves blew it again and overpaid!

[twolves31]

With the new deal the only casualty next season (24-25) might be not bringing back Kyle Anderson to stay under the apron.

[TwolvesFanRome]

After this extension (I am so happy about it!!!!!) Kat or Gobert trade the next big move ?

[gandlogo]

Correct. If Jaden was Ant II, do you think whether Gobert was paid $2 mil or $60 mil, it would keep MIN from locking him up on a max? In the end, Jaden is worth what he’s worth, and I believe MIN is going to pay him that - most likely next season

To me, this is just another attempt to scapegoat Gobert for anything that a person doesn’t like. We haven’t seen a Jaden extension? It must be Gobert’s fault! Ant is shooting too many mid-rangers? It must be Gobert’s fault! DLo and Ant struggle to feed Gobert, but Conley and SloMo do it just fine? Gobert’s fault!

Rudy Gobert is not a magic boogeyman. He is not responsible for all the bad in the world.

You're way smarter than this, shrink. I choose my words very intentionally and typically you do as well. You have forgotten more about the cap and CBA than most of us (including myself) will ever know on the subject. In terms of financial flexibility, do the Wolves have more or less flexibility than before making the Gobert trade? It's not a question of worth, or even perceived worth, that I'm interested in.

You’re right, but then you have to admit we have less financial flexibility giving Ant an extension too, if it’s not a question of worth. The scapegoat stuff was more directed at other people in the other thread.

In my eyes the difference between Ant's extension and the Gobert trade is one was a highly anticipated occurrence that allowed for multiple years of forethought and planning. The other was self-inflicted and removed flexibility the minute it was done, all while heading into some level of uncertainty with the yet to be ratified new CBA.

I've said this to you before, at the end of the day you and I want the same things for the Wolves - a winner. My detesting the Gobert trade or wanting the Jaden extension done (sweet!) does not change what I want for the team itself.

[shrink]

After this extension (I am so happy about it!!!!!) Kat or Gobert trade the next big move ?

I suspect that we will have a better idea by January. If things aren’t going really well (like, Top 4 in the tough West), I think we’ll hear trade rumblings for both. KAT would return better value, so he’s more likely. But if things are going great, I wonder if Lore and ARod won’t just pay the tax? Remember, if they want public support for a new stadium, they need to get the public behind them. If their first move as full owners is to make the team worse to save money, the public isn’t going to like it.

Either way, I doubt Kyle Anderson will be back next year.

[Klomp]

And y'all were worried...

[TimberKat]

With the new deal the only casualty next season (24-25) might be not bringing back Kyle Anderson to stay under the apron.

I think that was always going to be the case anyway. Will be the time for Minott, Garza, or Miller to step up. Next year's big target will be a PG if we don't trade for Borgdon mid season.

[NebWolvesFan]

With the new deal the only casualty next season (24-25) might be not bringing back Kyle Anderson to stay under the apron.

Conley too might be on his way out.

[TimberKat]

After this extension (I am so happy about it!!!!!) Kat or Gobert trade the next big move ?

I suspect that we will have a better idea by January. If things aren’t going really well (like, Top 4 in the tough West), I think we’ll hear trade rumblings for both. KAT would return better value, so he’s more likely. But if things are going great, I wonder if Lore and ARod won’t just pay the tax? Remember, if they want public support for a new stadium, they need to get the public behind them. If their first move as full owners is to make the team worse to save money, the public isn’t going to like it.

Either way, I doubt Kyle Anderson will be back next year.

Also want to set the expectation that Wolves have a tough starting schedule 16 games schedule. I am glad they were serious about the pre season. We should be happy with a 8-8 start.

[shrink]

With the new deal the only casualty next season (24-25) might be not bringing back Kyle Anderson to stay under the apron.

Conley too might be on his way out.

Yes, that’s where I’m at too. We need to do really well this season, before the extensions all kick in, because we had the room to have vets like Conley and SloMo on the team.

I’ve always assumed that SloMo was here one more season. He was critical for the Wolves making the playoffs last season, but with KAT back and Naz needing more minutes, I think we will have less playing time for Anderson. If we need his skillset as a distributor and utility man again this year, he’ll find some minutes on the floor, out of position. If we don’t need his handholding for the playoffs, you might even see him traded at the deadline for something minor for the future. But either way, next year other teams have more use, and more money, for him, so it’s unlikely he’ll still be here.

Conley is a big question too. He would need to take a significant pay cut, and probably a smaller role, to be on the team next season. We don’t have any other true PG replacement either. I am encouraged by the fact that both he and Connelly are talking about this being the final team he plays for, and that he’s moved his family here. Even if he’s a back up, I think his contribution as a veteran mentor makes him very valuable to the team going forward.

[breatnach]

With the new deal the only casualty next season (24-25) might be not bringing back Kyle Anderson to stay under the apron.

Conley too might be on his way out.

I reckon he‘ll re-sign for a backup player role and corresponding salary.

[shrink]

Vassell was $146 for 5, with some bonuses. I like McDaniels deal a lot better!

[KGdaBom]

This is a fantastic news!!!!

I disagree. I hope at least $20 million of it is unlikely to be earned incentives. WAY TOO MUCH!!

[KGdaBom]

It is finished. JMcD signed and wondering how much of the 136m contract is incentives. Avg to 27M. Just a little on the high side but now I can move on. You guys should Thank Gobert for getting it done

All praise to Rudy for getting the McDaniels deal done. I agree too high. I'm hoping that $20 million of it is unlikely to be earned incentives so if he does get the whole thing it means he played incredible.

[KGdaBom]

This deal is close to the max, but it has the team benefit of being written as actual numbers. Max deals (like Ant’s) are written like “25% of the salary cap.” Jaden’s contract protects the Wolves from a big jump in the cap next year, and there are rumors that the league is under-estimating the cap projection until they see the revenues this year.

Time to celebrate! Jaden is locked up! And also time to go read the Trade Board and hear all those people who always underestimate Jaden to say how the Wolves blew it again and overpaid!

We did overpay.
Jaden prove me wrong.

[shrink]

This is a fantastic news!!!!

I disagree. I hope at least $20 million of it is unlikely to be earned incentives. WAY TOO MUCH!!

A few things to consider:

1. Contracts are all rising fast in the last month of so for these sub-Star players. I predicted 4/$102 in late July, but deals in the last few weeks, like Vassell, would have driven that number up substantially for me.

2. Non-FA-destination teams need team control, so five years is nice. Good to see players (Naz too) buying in here.

3. MIN avoids a year of indecision, and perhaps Jaden souring on us, like the Ayton drama soured him on the Suns

4. Jaden avoid a year of indecision, and can focus on playing basketball, not overdoing it for contract.

I get that this feels like a lot of money, but after that shock wears off, I think you’ll be happy in a few weeks with he deal.