Lakers Injury Report: New Details Emerge On Jaden McDaniels' Ailing Hand
The Timberwolves' starting small forward is out tonight.
www.si.comHere’s the latest on Jaden McDaniels’ injury status:
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As of late March to April 2026, McDaniels has been dealing with a left knee issue described publicly as patella tendinopathy with a bone bruise. The Timberwolves initially labeled him week-to-week, with guidance aiming to have him ready for the playoffs [source context: multiple team and reporter updates from late March to April 2026]. This has kept him out for several late-season contests and has clouded his exact return date.[3][5]
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By early April 2026, Minnesota indicated he was traveling with the team on a road trip but not guaranteed to play, with ongoing uncertainty around his knee status as the team positioned for a playoff push. The team later listed him as non-injury related for the start of the playoffs, suggesting he progressed enough to participate in postseason play.[2][4][5]
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In mid-April 2026, reports suggested he was not listed on the injury report for Game 1 of the playoffs, implying he was cleared to participate, though he had been managed through maintenance at times during the final weeks of the regular season. He logged strong late-season per-game numbers when healthy, signaling his potential impact if he returns for the postseason.[4]
If you’d like, I can pull the very latest official team update or game-by-game status from today and summarize it, or set up a quick timeline highlighting return targets and expected impact for the playoffs.