After the Timberwolves selected center Joan Beringer with the 17th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, many believed the pick was more for the future, rather than the present. It’s not that Beringer isn’t capable of playing in the NBA right now. It’s more so because he turns just 19 years old on November 6 and doesn’t even have much experience playing the sport. Chris Finch recently talked about the role that Beringer is expected to play this season.
Chris Finch states Joan Beringer will mostly stay with NBA club
Finch recently interviewed with Britt Robson of MinnPost. A multitude of questions were asked to Finch, including if the Wolves plan to use Beringer in the G League or keep him on the NBA roster.
"I think largely here, Finch said. Again, we are going to have to be intentional about it, but we are going to need to find minutes for him. I think he needs to be up here to see the NBA and experience it first-hand. We need him as a guy to go up against Rudy (Gobert) every single day. That is a good challenge. They will be part of each other’s player development, which I think is going to be good for both of them right now. So we see him here, more than down there. "
There may not be a better player for Beringer to learn from than Gobert. Going up against the four-time Defensive Player of the Year is likely more useful than getting game reps against lesser talent in the G League. This is doubly true because much of the 6-foot-10 youngster's potential comes from the defensive end. That was seen in summer league when Beringer tied a league record with his six blocks in a game.
Beringer will learn from an all-time great defender
At least from Finch’s quote, it seems as if he wants to see Beringer receiving playing time at the NBA level. Can he earn a permanent spot in their rotation?
It’s not impossible, but it will be very difficult, being that the Timberwolves are a team with championship aspirations. The frontcourt has three players in Gobert, Julius Randle, and Naz Reid, who are clearly ahead of Beringer in the pecking order.
Gobert doesn’t miss too many games (28 in his three seasons with Minnesota). When he is forced to miss action, though, Finch could prefer to insert Beringer as the starting center to keep more of a defensive presence in the lineup.
It will be a learning experience for Beringer, and further development will help him become the successor to Gobert as the team’s starting center. Entering his 13th season, Gobert is now 33 years old. He is signed through the 2026-27 season, with a player option in 2027-28.