Jaden McDaniels Listed As Week-To-Week With Knee Ailment
Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels has been diagnosed with left knee patella tendinopathy and a bone bruise, according to a team press release.
An MRI conducted at Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine determined the extent of his injury. McDaniels will be listed as week-to-week, the release adds.
McDaniels won’t require surgery and the timeline could still position him for a playoff return, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic tweets.
It’s a major development for a team currently tied with the Rockets for fifth place in the Western Conference standings. McDaniels had scored at least 16 points in his last five appearances, most recently on Wednesday. He sat out Saturday’s home loss to Detroit.
Overall, McDaniels has appeared in 71 games, averaging a career-high 14.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.0 blocks in 31.9 minutes per night. He’s shooting 51.8 percent from the field and 42.1 on three-point tries while also providing his usual strong play on the defensive end.
McDaniels has been one of the league’s most durable players over the past five seasons, never playing in fewer than 70 games. Without him, Minnesota will have to rely more on Terrence Shannon Jr., Ayo Dosunmu and Jaylen Clark at the wing position.
Dosunmu hasn’t played since last Sunday due to a calf injury but is available for tonight’s game against the Mavericks. Star guard Anthony Edwards is listed as questionable due to right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome. He’s been out since March 15
Western Notes: Edwards, Dosunmu, McDaniels, Matkovic, McCain
While Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards still has to go through a workout Sunday and a shootaround Monday before being cleared to play in Monday’s game in Dallas, “all signs” point to that happening, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
“We can’t relax now that Ant’s coming back and say, ‘Hey, give Ant the keys and just go,’” point guard Mike Conley said. “I think we’ve got to let Ant do his thing. But at the same time, continue to push the ball, continue to involve everybody, and I think that’s when we’re our best self. When the ball’s moving, guys are being selfless.”
Edwards has missed the last six games due to patellofemoral pain syndrome in his right knee. He was cleared for on-court activities on Friday.
In order to meet the 65-game minimum to qualify for end-of-season awards, Edwards would have to suit up for each of Minnesota’s final eight games of the season, beginning on Monday. He has been named second-team All-NBA each of the past two seasons and is a strong candidate to make another All-NBA team in 2025/26 if he qualifies, Krawczynski notes.
We have more from around the Western Conference:
- In addition to Edwards, the Timberwolves were also playing without Ayo Dosunmu (right calf soreness) and Jaden McDaniels (right knee soreness) in Saturday’s loss to Detroit. Both players are considered day-to-day, per Krawczynski, which suggests their returns shouldn’t be far off.
- Big man Karlo Matkovic has been a bright spot for the Pelicans in his second NBA season, writes Rod Walker of NOLA.com. Interim head coach James Borrego raved about the 2022 second-round pick, who spent a couple seasons overseas after he was selected 52nd overall. “I love his spirit,” Borrego said. “His competitiveness. He’s an incredible teammate. He’s so coachable.” In addition to the intangible qualities the forward/center brings to the second unit, Borrego also praised Matkovic’s speed, athleticism, outside shooting, and ability to both finish at and protect the rim. “Those guys are hard to find in the NBA,” Borrego said, per Walker. “Guys that are that athletic and can play multiple positions and are switchable defensively and can knock down threes.” New Orleans holds a $2.3MM team option for Matkovic in 2026/27.
- Second-year guard Jared McCain recently talked about his role when the Thunder are fully healthy and the team’s battle with the Spurs for the No. 1 seed in the West, relays Jordan Davis of The Oklahoman. Oklahoma City currently has a two-game lead on San Antonio with eight games remaining for both teams.
Injury Notes: Embiid, Williams, Dosunmu, McBride
Joel Embiid has been listed as questionable for the Sixers‘ game on Wednesday against the Bulls, Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports writes (Twitter link). Embiid, who has been dealing with an oblique strain, hasn’t played since February 26, when he scored 26 points and added 11 rebounds and four assists in a win over the Heat.
While the 7’2″ center’s stats have dipped in the years since he was a perennial MVP candidate, he has had a stronger season than many expected, averaging 26.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game while leading the team to a 21-12 record when he’s available.
Embiid’s upgraded designation coincides with Paul George becoming eligible to return after sitting out the final game of his 25-game suspension. Barring a setback, Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link) expects Embiid to suit up vs. Chicago.
We have more injury notes from around the league:
- On Monday, Jalen Williams returned from a lengthy absence from the Thunder due to a hamstring injury, scoring 18 points and adding six assists. After the game, Williams said that not only was his leg feeling better, but the wrist on which he underwent offseason surgery is finally back to 100 percent, Tim Bontemps writes for ESPN. “It was just like one of those things that like when you have surgery and you rush into games, it’s like, I wouldn’t say rush, but I’m going into games with … I don’t know what my hands are going to look like,” Williams said. “So now I’ve had the time to actually sit down and work on it and do what I normally do throughout that process, now I’m in a really good spot with it.” Williams’ return will only make the Thunder more dangerous as they attempt to repeat as champions, according to Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic, who notes that several role players benefited from having step up in Williams’ absence. “You guys got to watch [Ajay Mitchell] blossom even more. [Jaylin Williams] and [Cason Wallace], they’ve had to be in spots that they didn’t think they were going to be in to start the season,” Williams said. “We’re better for it now.”
- Ayo Dosunmu has been added to the Timberwolves‘ injury report for Wednesday’s game against the Rockets, per the team’s Twitter account. He’s now listed as questionable with right calf soreness, an injury that Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic describes as “concerning” (Twitter link), likely due to how cautious teams have been this season with calf injuries and how they can impact players’ Achilles.
- Miles McBride hasn’t played for the Knicks since late January as he works his way back from a core injury that required surgery in early February, but he was back on the court going through his typical pregame routine on Tuesday night, per James L. Edwards III of The Athletic (Twitter link). Edwards says it’s been a long time since McBride went through his customary warm-up, and speculates that his return could be “very, very soon.” Stefan Bondy of the New York Post posted a video of McBride warming up, saying that it looked like he was moving well (Twitter video link).
Luka Doncic, LaMelo Ball Named Players Of The Week
Lakers guard Luka Doncic has been named the Player of the Week for the Western Conference, while Hornets guard LaMelo Ball has won the award in the East, the NBA announced today in a press release.
It’s the second straight week Doncic has claimed the award. The 27-year-old had a spectacular showing from March 16-22, helping guide Los Angeles to a 4-0 road record by averaging 42.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 3.0 steals on .500/.390/.723 shooting in 38.5 minutes per contest.
The highlight of Doncic’s week came on Thursday in Miami, when he poured in a season-high 60 points. The Slovenian superstar has now won Player of the Week four times in 2025/26, moving past Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has three.
Ball helped lead Charlotte to a 3-0 record last week, averaging 26.3 PPG, 7.3 APG, 5.0 RPG and 2.3 SPG on .500/.412/.846 shooting in just 27.3 MPG. This is the first time the former All-Star point guard has claimed the weekly award in 2025/26 (and in his career).
According to the league (Twitter link), the other nominees in the West were Deni Avdija, Donovan Clingan, Ayo Dosunmu, Rudy Gobert, Gilgeous-Alexander, Amen Thompson and Victor Wembanyama. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Jaylen Brown, Jalen Duren, James Harden, Evan Mobley and Karl-Anthony Towns were nominated in the East.
Northwest Notes: Hyland, Wolves, Watson, Markkanen, George
Bones Hyland has provided a heavy dose of fun for a Timberwolves team that badly needs it, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Pressed into a larger role with star guard Anthony Edwards and several other players injured, Hyland has responded by averaging 20 points per game over his last four outings, including a 23-point performance in Sunday’s win at Boston. He has also been displaying his vibrant personality, which includes exuberant celebrations and verbal jousting with opponents.
“It feels good to be here,” Hyland said in a post-game interview with NBC. “Everyone loves each other. We go out shopping together. We eat together. It’s a fantastic team, phenomenal team. Everyone can step up and contribute to winning. That’s what we’re doing right now, creating the vibes for the playoffs.”
Krawczynski states that Hyland’s enthusiasm is a welcome addition for a Minnesota team that has been fighting to stay out of play-in territory after two straight trips to the Western Conference Finals. He describes them as a “brooding group” that tends to quietly handle the ups and downs of a long season. But Hyland, whom Krawczynski calls the team’s “Chief Vibes Officer,” stands out from his teammates and is enjoying his time in the spotlight until Edwards returns.
“We can’t fill Ant-Man’s shoes. He’s a superstar,” Hyland said. “He’s the head of our team. Trying to fill in his shoes would be tough, but we’ve got a lot of guys on our team that can step up and come out here and put on a show. That’s what we did tonight.”
There’s more from the Northwest Division:
Wolves Notes: Randle, Gobert, Connectors, Reid
In Julius Randle‘s two seasons in Minnesota, Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch has never been publicly critical of the three-time All-Star, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
However, that changed after Friday’s loss to Portland, when the Wolves were up 104-103 with 35 seconds remaining and gave up a pair of offensive rebounds, eventually resulting a Jerami Grant three-pointer that put the Blazers ahead for good. Minnesota gave up 18 offensive boards in the game, while Randle — who is averaging a career-low 6.8 rebounds per game, Krawczynski notes — had five boards and only three on the defensive glass.
“All we gotta do, we’re up 104-103, and all we have to do is get a rebound and we can’t,” Finch lamented. “There’s like a lag time from the time the shot goes and we take a breath and we look up. They’re flying around and we’re delayed in our reactions. It’s been that way for a while. It’s just not good enough.
“We knew our guards needed to rebound. Ayo (Dosunmu) did a good job on the defensive glass. Rudy (Gobert) did a good job, but after that, we’ve got to have more rebounding. Julius has three defensive rebounds. That’s not good enough. It’s just not good enough.”
As Krawczynski writes, Randle and Finch have a close relationship, and Finch understands the “mercurial” power forward responds best to public support. The fact that Finch felt the need to criticize Randle speaks to the coach’s level of desperation as Minnesota jockeys for playoff positioning, Krawczynski adds.
While that play was emblematic of the Wolves’ overall effort on Friday, they had other opportunities to win the game and didn’t capitalize, per Krawczynski. Still, Randle didn’t disagree with his coach’s assessment.
“Just gotta go get the ball,” Randle said. “Sometimes it’s not tactical or all that stuff. We just gotta go get the ball out of the air. They are quicker to the ball than us right now. We shouldn’t lose games from rebounding.”
Here’s more from Minnesota:
- Finding ways to get Gobert, who missed a couple of tip-in attempts in the closing seconds that would have tied Friday’s game, more involved offensively is a top priority for the Wolves ahead of the postseason, Krawczynski states in another story. Gobert’s shaky hands and flubs around the basket sometimes cause his teammates to ignore him when he’s open, but Finch wants the team to keep giving the veteran center the ball. “They know not to look to me for sympathy if Rudy drops one of their passes, because sometimes he’s going to,” Finch said. “I tell them to keep throwing it. We have to. It pays off more than not. There are plenty of times when we miss him. We obviously want him to catch it. We want to be able to throw it in a manner where it’s easier for him to catch and finish. But I’ll take some of those turnovers if we’re trying to make the right play.”
- Anthony Edwards says Mike Conley, Kyle Anderson and trade deadline acquisition Ayo Dosunmu have all been “connectors” in the Timberwolves’ locker room, per Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. Donte DiVincenzo had a more blunt assessment of what Conley and Anderson, in particular, bring to the table. “I mean, they’re mature adults,” he said. “Call it what it is. Not to say everybody else is not. You bring mature adults into a group that, call it what it is, guys go through emotions in a season, well, those guys are so comfortable with themselves, are very mature and know how to handle ups and downs. So, when you have that and guys can rely on them and lean on them, it just levels everybody out during those tough moments.”
- Key reserve Naz Reid was sidelined for Friday’s game due to a right ankle sprain. The 26-year-old big man is listed as questionable ahead of Sunday’s matchup in Boston, the team announced (via Twitter).
Bulls Notes: Miller, Smith, Ball, Okoro, Donovan
Third-year forward Leonard Miller has been a bright spot for the Bulls over the past couple weeks, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. The 22-year-old Torontonian rarely received playing time in his two-and-a-half seasons in Minnesota, but he’s getting an opportunity to showcase his abilities with Chicago.
Over his last six games, Miller is averaging 13.2 points and 7.2 rebounds in 29.8 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .533/.300/.872. The Bulls acquired him in the Ayo Dosunmu trade ahead of last month’s deadline.
“I mean, he’s got a really good motor. He’s good on the glass,” said head coach Billy Donovan. “I think, like any young player who did not really get a chance to play a lot early in his career … he’s got to get better in terms of the game plan and discipline, knowing the league, knowing who he’s guarding, those kinds of things.
“But I think he shoots the ball fairly well. He can put it on the floor some. I think he can be a very, very promising guy for us. I think what he’s done to this point in time, in a short period of time (of) getting the opportunity to play, he’s taking full advantage of it.”
The Bulls hold a $2.4MM team option on Miller for 2026/27. If they decline the option, he would be eligible for restricted free agency this summer.
Here’s more from Chicago:
- Big man Jalen Smith was disappointed in the Bulls’ effort following Wednesday’s loss to Toronto, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. “We had no fight,” Smith said. “This is the third time we’ve played them and we’ve gotten punked. At the end of the day we just got to want it. We’ve got to have that fight and we have to have that grit. I honestly couldn’t tell you [why], it’s basketball so every day isn’t going to be perfect, but we’ve got to figure out what else can we do to impact the game. It’s just a mental game right now for us.”
- With the Cavs visiting on Thursday, Donovan reflected on last summer’s trade that sent Lonzo Ball to Cleveland and Isaac Okoro to Chicago, per Cowley. Donovan has been pleased with Okoro’s play and team-first attitude, but feels empathy for Ball, who is an unrestricted free agent after he was salary-dumped to Utah and subsequently waived by the Jazz. “I loved him as a player and a guy, and he was so cerebral,” Donovan said of Ball, who missed nearly three calendar years with a knee injury. “He was so selfless, that’s really one of the things I admired. To see him have to go through what he went through, to fight to get back, see what he’s going through now, that’s tough for me because it’s almost like what could have been, how good could he have been?“
- Dosunmu said on Tuesday that mid-range shots were “really prohibited” during his time with the Bulls, but Donovan pushed back on that notion, as Cowley writes in another story. Donovan pointed out that DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic all took a good amount of mid-range jumpers while Dosunmu was on the team. “I think you have to play to players’ strengths, so I’m a believer in the first part of the shot clock you certainly want to try and get something downhill to the basket, and generally what happens is when the ball gets into the paint and the ball gets sprayed out that’s when the threes are going to go up,” Donovan said in part. “Most of the time the mid-range stuff is coming off (isolation) situations. It’s late clock, a guy is stuck with the ball, and at that time you’ve got to manufacture and generate shots.”
Jazz Eliminated From Postseason Contention
The Jazz suffered a 147-111 loss at Minnesota on Wednesday, officially eliminating them from playoff contention, according to the NBA league office (Twitter link).
At 20-49, the best Utah could do is tie 10th-place Golden State (33-36), but even in that unlikely scenario, the Warriors would win the tie-breaker. The Jazz become the fifth team to be eliminated, joining Indiana, Sacramento, Washington and Brooklyn.
Wednesday’s game was never really close, even though the Timberwolves were playing without Anthony Edwards (right knee inflammation) and Naz Reid (right shoulder contusion). Ayo Dosunmu, who was acquired at the trade deadline, made his second straight start and led Minnesota with 23 points.
As expected, it’s been a rough season for the Jazz, who haven’t been above .500 since getting off to a 2-1 start. They went through a four-game losing streak in November, another four-game skid in December, a five-game slide in late December and early January, then slipped far out of play-in territory by losing 10 of 11 games starting in mid-January.
Injuries to Lauri Markkanen contributed to the decline as the star forward has only played 42 times and has been available just once since February 11 due to a right hip impingement. He hasn’t been ruled out for the season, but there’s little incentive for him to return with Utah already out of postseason contention.
Starting center Walker Kessler suffered a torn left shoulder labrum early in the season and only appeared in five games.
The Jazz had been projected to finish among the bottom teams in the league, putting themselves in position to land one of the top picks in a loaded draft. Utah currently holds the fifth-worst record and is three games away from Brooklyn for a bottom-three spot and a share of the best odds heading into the lottery.
The Jazz may have been too aggressive in their pursuit of tanking, as they were fined $500K last month for “conduct detrimental to the league” after sitting Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. for the fourth quarters of games February 7 at Orlando and February 9 at Miami.
The blockbuster trade that brought Jackson from Memphis signified that Utah is ready to start winning soon. Jackson underwent knee surgery three games after joining the Jazz, but he’s expected to be ready for the start of next season, along with Kessler, who’s headed for restricted free agency but is considered likely to be re-signed.
The Jazz will head into next season looking for their first winning record and playoff appearance since 2021/22.
Timberwolves Notes: Randle, DiVincenzo, Dosunmu, McDaniels
Julius Randle was among several Timberwolves players involved in trade rumors leading up to the deadline, and the speculation — combined with the disappointment of not making the All-Star team — seemed to weigh on him in recent weeks, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
“Julius is a guy who plays with his heart on his sleeve,” head coach Chris Finch said. “He was kind of not himself recently. … He’s so important for us in so many ways. We just need him to come back to the pack, if you will.”
The veteran power forward had a triple double (18 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists) in Monday’s victory over Atlanta and followed that up with what Krawczynski calls his best performance of the season in Wednesday’s win over Portland, finishing with 41 points (23 in the fourth quarter) and seven rebounds while being locked in on defense. Randle’s teammates know they need the forward to be at his best to make another deep playoff run.
“It gets everybody going. He can get as many triple-doubles as anybody,” Naz Reid said. “He plays fast, plays strong, spaces the floor, he gets everybody else involved. I think that’s the key to winning, as well, just being super aggressive while also making sure everybody around you comes with you.”
Here’s more on the Wolves:
- While Ayo Dosunmu has quickly made a strong impression with the team’s fans, Krawczynski expects Donte DiVincenzo to remain in Minnesota’s starting lineup. As Krawczynski writes, DiVincenzo isn’t a traditional point guard, but he brings consistent effort, energy and competitiveness, and has been a key member of a starting unit which ranks among the best in the league. The 29-year-old also has outstanding on/off numbers this season, Krawczynski notes.
- Dosunmu has helped unlock transition offense opportunities for Jaden McDaniels by constantly pushing the pace, Krawczynski adds. Finch wants McDaniels to attempt at least 10 shots per game, which has been an issue at times, but Dosunmu could help change that. “It’s been pretty good. He’s coming from Chicago, which plays super fast,” McDaniels said. “I know that some plays, he’s outrunning all of us. He’s helping us run, he’s helping us get better. I just like the energy he brings and the effort.”
- There has been a “collective weight” on the Timberwolves this season that wasn’t present in years past, according to Chris Hine of The Star Tribune, who wonders how far the team will need to advance in the postseason to alleviate that pressure.
Northwest Notes: Jones, Johnson, Nuggets, Dosunmu
It’s widely expected that the Nuggets will sign two-way player Spencer Jones to a standard contract once he clears concussion protocol, but there are still hurdles to clear before the move is completed. According to head coach David Adelman, the team and Jones have not yet come to terms on a deal, though that shouldn’t give fans any cause for alarm.
“The negotiation that’s going on there obviously is being slow-played because of (Jones’) concussion,” Adelman said (Twitter video link via DNVR Sports). “The negotiation, I’ve been updated by (vice president of basketball operations Ben Tenzer) and (executive vice president of player personnel Jon Wallace), but it’s slow-moving right now. But the concussion thing is real, we’ll probably have more information after the break. Right now, I think it’s just, let’s get him right and then let Ben and Jon and his agency and his people talk.”
Jones has already reached his 50-game limit with the Nuggets as a two-way player, so getting a deal done will be a top priority as the team moves forward into the final stretch of the season.
We have more from around the Northwest Division:
- The Nuggets have been dealing with injuries all season, and this most recent stretch of games is no exception. That’s why Cameron Johnson‘s return to play is timely, Bennett Durando writes for the Denver Post. Johnson suited up last Saturday against the Bulls in his first action since December 23, scoring 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting. With Peyton Watson sidelined for at least a month, Aaron Gordon out for multiple weeks with a hamstring strain, and Jones in concussion protocol, Denver’s depth at forward has grown very thin heading into the All-Star break. Johnson feels good physically about his return. “It’s been a lot of time spent trying to get conditioning back up to where it is, and we track a lot of stuff over the course of (the recovery) to be able to come back and play in the mid to high 20s minutes, instead of having to be a lot lower,” the veteran wing said. “Obviously, with any situation, you come back and just try to feel your best. Sometimes, it’s not all the way 100. But I feel good enough to definitely go out there and compete.”
- After converting Jones, the Nuggets will have one more 15-man roster spot to fill, which they will look to do on the buyout market. Durando examines 10 options that could fit Denver’s needs. Lonzo Ball, Tyus Jones, and Chris Paul are all guards Durando thinks could help stabilize the Nuggets’ backcourt depth if they become available, while Khris Middleton, Kyle Anderson, Chris Boucher, Haywood Highsmith, Kevin Love, and Georges Niang could all be useful wings and bigs, especially given the team’s injuries. Durando notes that Love has an existing relationship with Adelman, as they were together in Minnesota in the early 2010s. The team has previously been reported to have some level of interest in Ball.
- The Timberwolves‘ move to trade for soon-to-be restricted free agent Ayo Dosunmu at the trade deadline filled an immediate need, but the team is hoping that the deal yields returns that last much longer than this season, writes the AP’s Tyler Mason. “We’re certainly hopeful it’s a long-term match,” said team president Tim Connelly. “He wasn’t just identified for the next 30-plus games. He was identified because we think he’s a guy that could be a huge part of our core.”
- Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes that the Timberwolves‘ pivot to Dosunmu came when it was clear that the Bucks were not reciprocating trade talks for Giannis Antetokounmpo in meaningful ways, and that pulling off the smaller deal helped ease the new ownership’s mind when it came to not wanting to break up the core of Jaden McDaniels, Anthony Edwards, and Naz Reid. Krawczynski also writes that Nickeil Alexander-Walker‘s success with the Wolves is a helpful blueprint for Dosunmu and the style he will need to play to help elevate the team in similar ways. Dosunmu, for his part, is ready to compete at a higher level. “I want to be labeled as a guy who plays in the playoffs, a guy who’s a winning player, a guy who does whatever it takes to help the team win,” he said. “So now that I have the opportunity, don’t take it for granted.”