2025-26 Season
JADEN MCDANIELS
2025-26 Season
JADEN MCDANIELS
McDaniels produces at an average rate for a 32-minute workload.
About this model: Net Impact can't measure floor spacing, help defense rotations, or playmaking gravity — so wings and guards are slightly undervalued vs bigs. How Net Impact works
TEAM COMPARISON
of 13 teammates (10+ games, 10+ min)
SKILL DNA
Percentile rank vs 227 Forwards with 10+ games
THE SEASON SO FAR
Jaden McDaniels opened the 2025-26 season riding a wildly volatile two-way rollercoaster, oscillating between absolute lockdown terror and passive offensive liability. When fully engaged, his ceiling was terrifying, peaking during 11/07 vs UTA where he posted a massive +18.2 impact score alongside 22 points. That outing was a masterclass in two-way dominance, driven entirely by suffocating Utah's primary creators and punishing defensive lapses. He also found ways to salvage his value when his jumper completely abandoned him. During 11/21 vs PHX, a frigid 0-for-5 night from beyond the arc resulted in just 13 points, yet he still managed a +4.7 impact because elite defensive metrics and high-motor hustle plays overshadowed the shooting woes. Conversely, empty offensive calories frequently dragged down his overall value, perfectly illustrated by his 12/25 vs DEN appearance. Despite pouring in 21 points on highly efficient 9-of-12 shooting in that contest, hidden costs on the margins dropped his overall impact to a disappointing -2.4.
A maddening inconsistency defined this stretch for Jaden McDaniels, who oscillated violently between two-way dominance and offensive invisibility. When fully engaged, he looked untouchable. Just look at his masterpiece on 12/06 vs LAC, where searing offensive efficiency and suffocating wing defense generated a massive +14.3 impact score. Yet, that ceiling was constantly threatened by nights where his offensive execution actively harmed the team. During an ugly outing on 01/10 vs CLE, he posted a disastrous -13.6 impact score because his sharp regression left a massive void in the offensive flow. Even when his raw scoring totals looked respectable, clunky shot selection frequently dragged him down. On 01/20 vs UTA, he managed 18 points but still posted a -6.6 impact score, as a barrage of missed perimeter looks completely negated his otherwise solid defensive metrics.
This mid-season stretch was defined by maddening inconsistency, with Jaden McDaniels oscillating violently between two-way brilliance and total offensive irrelevance. Even when his scoring totals looked robust, hidden costs often dragged his overall value into the red. Take 01/31 vs MEM, where he dropped 20 points on efficient shooting but still posted a -4.2 impact score due to poor floor execution. Conversely, he could easily tilt the game without filling up the basket. During a gritty 02/26 vs LAC matchup, he managed just 12 points but generated a +7.0 impact because his elite defensive metrics completely anchored the rotation. When everything aligned, he was an absolute monster. His ceiling arrived on 02/24 vs POR, where flawless perimeter shot selection and suffocating defense fueled 29 points and an astronomical +23.5 impact score.
IMPACT TIMELINE
Game-by-game performance vs average. Green = above average, red = below.
Boom-or-bust player. McDaniels's impact swings wildly relative to his average — some nights dominant, others invisible. Scoring varies by ~7 points per game.
Middle-of-the-road efficiency — shoots 45%+ from the field in 65% of games. Not automatic, but not a problem either.
Defensive difference-maker. McDaniels consistently forces tough shots and protects the rim — opponents shoot worse when he's guarding them.
Hot right now — 5 straight games with positive impact. Longest positive run this season: 5 games.
MATCHUP HISTORY
Based on 71 games with tracking data. Shows who guarded this player on offense and who he guarded on defense, with their shooting stats in those matchups.
ON OFFENSE: WHO GUARDED HIM
His shooting stats against each primary defender this season
ON DEFENSE: WHO HE GUARDED
How opponents shot when he was the primary defender. Lower FG% = better defense.
SEASON STATS
GAME LOG
71 games played