Minnesota Timberwolves Injury Report: Latest update on Mike Conley's status and Jaden McDaniels' availability

The Minnesota Timberwolves will not be playing on the NBA's opening night but they are scheduled to take on the Toronto Raptors during Day 2, Wednesday (Oct. 25). As per the injury report, the Timberwolves might be missing some key rotation players for their first game of the 2023-24 season.

Veteran point guard Mike Conley did not play against the Chicago Bulls for the Timberwolves' final preseason game. He was sidelined due to an illness, although the actual nature of his illness was not disclosed. Currently, he is listed as day-to-day. It appears he will be a game-time decision against the Toronto Raptors.

If he is unavailable, Jordan McLaughlin and Shake Milton might see some increased minutes until Conley returns.

Another Minnesota Timberwolves player who is listed as day-to-day is forward Jaden McDaniels. McDaniels is currently dealing with a calf strain. The young forward missed most of his team's preseason games due to the injury.

Similar to Conley, his availability for the game against Toronto is still unclear. The Minnesota Timberwolves will be re-evaluating him and will most likely decide whether he'll play or not before the season opener.

---

Jaden McDaniels signed a huge extension with the Minnesota Timberwolves

Jaden McDaniels had a breakout season in his third year in the NBA. He increased his scoring from 9.2 points per game in the 2021-22 season to 12.1 last year. The 23-year-old forward was also a more efficient scorer, bringing his field goal percentage up from 46.0% to 51.7%. The same can be said about his 3-point shooting, which rose from 31.7% to 39.8%.

The Minnesota Timberwolves rewarded him by signing him to a multi-year extension. The deal is for five years and is worth $136 million.

Aside from an increase in his scoring, McDaniels proved himself as one of the most reliable defenders in the NBA. He is capable of slowing down ball handlers and chasing shooters on the perimeter. Additionally, he is able to use his height to affect interior shots.

His two-way play is extremely valuable for the Timberwolves who are trying to establish an identity in the league. It is clear from this extension that the front office sees him as a vital building block, as the team tries to become serious contenders in the West moving forward.

He helped his team secure a playoff spot last season. However, he also left it short-handed after he injured his hand punching a wall. The incident occurred during a heated game between Minnesota and the New Orleans Pelicans.