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    Chris Finch: Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels ready to lead Timberwolves

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    Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch speaks on generational shift, Anthony Edwards, and Jaden McDaniels.

    Ahead of the 2026/27 season, Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch sat down with MinnPost reporter Britt Robson for an extensive interview. The core message is clear, Minnesota is entering a generational shift where its younger stars must assume full responsibility.

    Jaden McDaniels as the quiet leader

    Addressing expectations for Jaden McDaniels as a quiet leader who drives the squad, Finch explained that leadership isn’t always about how vocal someone is in the media or during timeouts, but about their approach and mentality on the court:

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    “I think at the end of the day, you have to lead by example. That’s why I’d put him in the category of a ‘team leader.’ His teammates know exactly what drives Jaden, they know how consistent he is in his approach, his effort and professionalism are always at the highest level. They know he always has their back, to the extent that he’s one of our most competitive guys, one of those who sparks the fire. His teammates love all of that about him. Can he be louder? I hope he can. But that’s not the point, he’s always been the guy who says simple things, like: ‘Now we’re just messing around here,’ and things like that.”

    Finch particularly highlighted the authority carried by the voice of players like McDaniels:

    “When guys who rarely or never speak finally speak up, everyone in the locker room listens. But this year, we intentionally didn’t bring a bunch of veterans into the team. My approach with Ant, with Jaden, and with all these guys is: if we’re going to take off the diapers, let’s take them off. Like: this is your team now. What you say, how you say it, and setting the tone from the first days of training camp, all of that is extremely important. It’s time. They’ve been in the league for years now, and I feel Jaden will do his part.”

    “Ant has to lead the team true to his own character“

    Discussing leadership without forced roles or artificial anxiety, the Wolves coach is well aware that young players shouldn’t have roles imposed on them that don’t match their natural personalities. While the departure of mentors like Conley and Ingles creates a void, Finch refuses to force Edwards or McDaniels to act like veteran figures:

    “I’ve learned that it’s not fair to put players in positions that don’t suit them. Think about other things in life; if someone asks you to step out of your character to do something, it creates discomfort. And that can create constant anxiety: ‘Aha, I’m supposed to be someone else now.’ It’s the same here. I wouldn’t expect Ant to be Mike Conley or Joe Ingles, nor to try processing the game the way they did. Ant has to lead the team true to his own character.”

    Despite the major loss of experience and basketball IQ in the locker room, Minnesota’s chief strategist remains confident in the new team chemistry heading into the start of NBA action:

    “There’s always room for growth with all those guys. Yes, we lost a lot of experience and basketball IQ with the departure of those veterans. But my biggest concern was the atmosphere and I feel the mood in the team is great, and I believe we will be capable of doing big things.”

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