Jaden McDaniels admits 'dumb mistake.' Finch says Timberwolves will address 'some of the behaviors'

For the first time since his season hit a wall April 9, Jaden McDaniels spoke with the media Thursday at the Timberwolves' practice facility.

On his right hand, a cast, protecting two mending fractures. He got hurt late in the regular season, when, letting frustration get the best of him, he walked down the Target Center tunnel and threw a punch at what he thought was a curtain but what turned out to be a wall.

So the cast was both a memento of what might have been in the playoffs and a reminder of what needs to happen going forward.

"I made a dumb mistake,'' said McDaniels, perhaps the best defender on the team's starting five. "I wish I could take it back. But, afterwards, there was nothing I could do. So I was just mad. Mad for my teammates. I know they were probably upset, too. … I just need to learn how to control my emotions better throughout the game.''

This is a message that applies to much of the team, which struggled with its maturity during the season. There was the on-the-bench spat between Kyle Anderson and Rudy Gobert. McDaniels punching a wall. Most recently, Anthony Edwards' act of frustration involving a chair after a Game 5, first-round loss Tuesday in Denver.

But there's more indicating room to grow: Check the Wolves' 6-10 record against teams in the bottom five in the league. Or what seemed like a teamwide tendency to let foul calls affect the Wolves' play.

"We have to address some of this, some of the behaviors, for sure,'' head coach Chris Finch said. "A lot of it comes from a good place — they're competitive. I don't think they're malicious or petulant or necessarily just trying to act out to be acting out."

Tim Connelly, the team's president of basketball operations, admitted his disappointment at the occasional lack of maturity.

"It wasn't just the young guys, too, which is even more disappointing,'' Connelly said. "So I think that's going to be a huge focus of this offseason. Not just relative to acquiring new faces, but how do the guys who are here act a bit more mature when things don't go their way. I think we saw tremendous growth. I thought Ant did a great job after kind of a rocky start with a bunch of technicals, being more emotionally controlled. But the best teams oftentimes are the teams most able to emotionally be kind of consistent in the inevitable ups and downs.''

McDaniels paid for his mistake by having to watch the Wolves play a playoff series without him and his strong defense.

"It was hard seeing [Denver guard] Jamal Murray run around," he said. "I was just mad I couldn't chase him. It was difficult for me."

Point guard Mike Conley is looking for a bit of permanence out of his offseason. Acquired from Utah in a trade-deadline deal, Conley finished his 16^th NBA season with the Wolves, bringing a veteran presence and a calming influence to the team.

Playing the final 24 games of the regular season with the Wolves, Conley averaged 14.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, shooting 46 percent and making 42 percent of his three-pointers.

Now? It's time to move out of the hotel he's lived in since the trade, find a place for him and his family to live, check out schools.

Conley, 35, was asked Thursday how much longer he wanted to play.

"I was told by Vince Carter not to put a year that you want to end on,'' he said. "Not to limit yourself. I'm just honestly going to keep going. My body feels better than it did three years ago. I can't say what I'll feel like two years from how. So hopefully this continues to trend in this direction.''

While lauding what Conley brought to the team, Finch said the team needs to get better off the bench at point guard.

"We need [Jordan McLaughlin] back to the form he finished with last season. Nickeil [Alexander-Walker] looks like he could be an option for us, as well. But we need another guy in that role.''

Gobert said he hasn't decided whether to participate with the French national team this summer. He said he'd take a few days to clear his head first.

But he did make one promise: To have his best summer of preparation ever, followed by a strong 2023-24 season. Unlike last year, he is healthy, which allows him to get back to work quickly.

"I can really plan on having the best summer I've ever had and really come back like I want to have the best year of my career next season," he said.