Timberwolves agree to 1-year, $40M contract extension with two-way standout Jaden McDaniels

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves have long viewed Jaden McDaniels as a vital part of their long-term core, and they furthered their commitment by signing the two-way standout on Tuesday to a one-year, $40 million contract extension that goes through the 2029-30 season.

The seventh-year small forward has three seasons left on a five-year, $136 million contract he signed right before the 2023-24 season. The new deal gives the Timberwolves another year of cost certainty in managing future salary caps around the next maximum contracts anticipated for star guards Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball. The extension also makes McDaniels eligible for another one in two years at a higher rate, thanks to the hefty raise he'll get from about $29.8 million in 2028-29 to the $40 million in 2029-30.

The 6-foot-9 McDaniels had an excellent season in 2025-26, posting career bests with an average of 14.8 points per game, 41.2% shooting from 3-point range and 83.5% from the free-throw line. The Timberwolves are confident the arrival of Ball and his keen passing ability can help unlock even more offensive potential.

Asked about McDaniels after practice on Monday, before this deal was done, Ball raved about his lanky teammate's capability and compared him to a video game creation.

“Can move, long, play defense, cut backdoor, shoot the 3. I mean, really anything you need,” Ball said.

Last week, McDaniels similarly praised his new point guard's passing skills.

“It’s crazy. If you’re not paying attention, it might go right past you, go out of bounds or something, and then that’s on you because you’re open,” McDaniels said. “So I just learned every time I cut just to make sure my head's on a swivel when he's got the ball.”

McDaniels, who was drafted with the 28th pick in 2020 out of Washington, has long been the team’s best perimeter defender. He was an NBA All-Defensive second-team selection in 2023-24. The addition of the 6-foot-7 Ball should allow McDaniels more opportunities to defend off the ball, a potentially less taxing but still impactful role for his quick step and long arms.

“Just all of us flying around, helping each other out," McDaniels said.

McDaniels has appeared in 49 career playoff games, the second-most in franchise history behind Edwards, and just ahead of Kevin Garnett. His defining performance in the postseason to date came in the series-clinching Game 6 win over Denver in the first round last spring, when he stifled Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray on defense and finished with 32 points and 10 rebounds.

His combination of athleticism, size and instinct has long given the Timberwolves belief he can become more of an impact scorer, an opportunity that has clearly increased with the departures of Julius Randle and Naz Reid in the trade to obtain Ball. Sinking those corner 3-pointers will continue to be an important source of offense for the Timberwolves, as are his signature high-rising shots from the paint, a midrange game that he has maintained amid the league-wide trend away from it.

“Incredible touch, off the bank shots or the little runners, floaters or the little fadeaway. That's all inherent, you know?” coach Chris Finch said. “He was really an outstanding 3-point shooter last year. I think we can up that rate a little bit even. But he’s got a gift, and it’s not just to have that size but also that touch at that size. It feels like he can kind of get that shot off on anybody.”

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Detroit Pistons guard Ausar Thompson, left, dribbles the ball as Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (3) defends during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels, middle, shoots over Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

New York Knicks' Jalen Brunson (11) defends Minnesota Timberwolves' Jaden McDaniels (3) during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Boeing’s 737 Max 10 airliner has been approved for passenger service after years of delays, the Federal Aviation Administration announced Tuesday.

The Max 10’s certification represents another milestone in Boeing’s efforts to restore its reputation and financial footing after years of safety, quality and production challenges. With production approved, the aircraft can now be sold to domestic and foreign carriers.

“After extensive safety reviews – including thousands of hours of test flights – the team at the FAA is ready to approve this critical aircraft for sale,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement. “This is a major win for American manufacturing and our nation’s status as a global aviation powerhouse."

The Max 10 — the largest version of Boeing’s bestselling 737 family — is an important piece of the company's effort to regain ground in the narrow-body market. For airlines, the larger plane offers a way to carry more passengers on a single flight, potentially lowering costs per seat. For travelers, it could eventually mean more seats on popular routes, though the impact on fares will depend on how airlines deploy the planes and how much competition they face.

Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said in a statement that “completing the certification program clears the path for us to deliver a Boeing airplane that will set a new standard in commercial aviation." The Max 10 will typically seat 185-210 passengers, according to Boeing, compared with 175-195 on the Max 9 and 160-180 on the Max 8.

The single-aisle jet was introduced at the Paris air show in 2017 to help Boeing compete with rival Airbus. But technical and regulatory hurdles repeatedly delayed certification.

Boeing said in its 2020 annual report that it expected to make the plane's first delivery in 2023. The company now expects to begin deliveries in 2027.

The delays have held up a key part of Boeing's business. More than 30 customers worldwide have ordered 1,555 Max 10s that Boeing has yet to deliver, accounting for more than 30% of its total 737 Max backlog.

Major customers for the Max 10 include United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and Ryanair. Alaska Airlines joined that list in January, ordering 105 Max 10s, with options for 35 more.

Boeing’s struggles have been particularly acute since two deadly crashes involving the smaller Max 8 killed 346 people in 2018 and 2019 off the coast of Indonesia and in Ethiopia. In 2024, a panel flew off of an Alaska Airlines Max 9 in midair, renewing scrutiny of Boeing’s manufacturing and safety practices.

The Max 10 is intended to compete with Airbus’s A321neo model family, which entered service in 2017. The largest A321neo can carry more passengers and fly farther without refueling than the Max 10.

Still, Boeing designed the Max 10 to carry more passengers while burning less fuel than older aircraft — a potentially attractive combination for airlines facing soaring jet fuel costs amid the U.S. war with Iran. Those rising costs have put added pressure on airlines to control expenses.

The Max 10’s certification completes the lineup of four 737 Max models. The FAA cleared the smaller Max 7 for airline operations in August.

Certification means the FAA has determined that the Max 10’s design meets safety standards, following engineering reviews and flight testing. But Boeing must continue to show it can consistently build the aircraft to the approved design, and each plane must be cleared before it can fly passengers.

In the wake of the fatal Max 8 crashes, the FAA overhauled how it certifies Boeing aircraft. But over the past 18 months, the agency has gradually eased some of its restrictions on the company, increasing the limit on how many planes Boeing can produce. In July, the FAA also said Boeing could once again issue airworthiness certificates for its 737 Max and 787 planes at the end of production, allowing the company to take back some responsibility for determining whether finished aircraft are ready to fly.

FILE - The Boeing 737 MAX 10 performs a demonstration flight during the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, north of Paris, France, June 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Lewis Joly, File)