Minnesota Timberwolves' forward Jaden McDaniels has missed the last five games with left knee patella tendinopathy. We'll provide the latest injury update and his potential return dates below.
McDaniels, 25, has enjoyed a career-best season, putting up career highs in points (14.8), field goal percentage (51.8%), three point percentage (42.1%), and assists (2.7). His perimeter defense, mid-range shot making, and corner three-point shooting has been extremely valuable.
He's a central cog for a Timberwolves team that severely lacks depth outside of the top seven-to-eight players on the team. His absence has led to players like Kyle Anderson and Jaylen Clark getting additional run - two players that most likely can't compete in the playoffs.
The Wolves had been extremely healthy throughout the year, with none of their starters missing any significant time up until the last two weeks or so. Now, McDaniels and superstar guard Anthony Edwards have each missed multiple games at the same time, and the team has faltered.
Minnesota is 1-4 without McDaniels, and are now essentially locked into the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference. With the regular season becoming almost pointless for the Wolves, there's no reason to rush their two-way forward back. McDaniels and Edwards have both been ruled out of tonight's game against the Indiana Pacers.
They'll most likely face the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs, where McDaniels will be needed to help slow down Jamal Murray and co. on the perimeter.
Will Jaden McDaniels return for the playoffs?
On Mar. 30, the Timberwolves announced that McDaniels would be week-to-week. About eight days have passed and there has been no update regarding his recovery.
Wolves beat writer Jon Krawczynski, on the day that McDaniels was give his timetable, said that "this timeline appears to be geared enteriely toward getting him ready to go for the playoffs."
The Wolves have four regular games to close the season before the playoffs begin around April 18.
Expect McDaniels to miss most, if not all, of the rest of the regular season before returning for the playoffs.
