It was a rocky preseason for Minnesota Timberwolves second-year big man Joan Beringer. He posted solid averages of 8.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks. Still, the 19-year-old showed off inexperience on both ends of the floor.
Chris Finch isn't known for his patience with young players. As such, it was a reasonable worry that Finch might significantly limit Beringer's role if these problems continue in the regular season. Thankfully, on Sunday, Finch talked about letting Beringer grow.
"Everything's right there for him right now. We know there's going to be some inconsistencies. There's no doubt about that. We just got to be able to, get through that and to the point where he's more comfortable... The biggest development is going to be those reps, those live reps that you get time and again," Finch said about Beringer's development.
“Yeah… we need him to play, you know it could be maybe 14 minutes a night, could be 24 minutes a night," Finch said when asked if he'll let Beringer play through the lumps. "That’ll be determined by how he’s playing and we need to be good enough around him in those moments."
The Timberwolves committing to Joan Beringer's development is wise
Now, one could argue that the Wolves don't have any backup big option outside of Beringer. While Trey Lyles isn't a traditional five, given Finch's affinity for trusty veterans, he could eventually cut into Beringer's minutes. Based on Finch's comments, though, the Timberwolves are committed to Beringer's development, and that's a very good thing.
As hinted at earlier, Beringer showed his youth in preseason. He struggled with foul trouble, was found out of position on defense at times, and had inconsistent touch around the rim. It's fair to expect some road bumps for Beringer in the regular season. However, Beringer's upside is undeniable, and he's the only true rim protector outside of Rudy Gobert.
The Timberwolves need to give Beringer consistent minutes for him to develop, particularly considering that he started playing basketball in 2021. He won't fix his problems by sitting on the bench.
Despite his issues, Beringer can still make a positive impact by way of crashing the glass, catching lobs, and blocking shots. His athletic gifts also make him a switchable defender. We saw this skill set on display during limited minutes last year.
Some bad games are inevitable, but Beringer has proven that he can contribute. In other words, his skill set isn't just hypothetical. The Wolves need to ride the highs and live with the lows, with the hope that he develops some consistency.
It might not be perfect early on, but by giving him consistent minutes, Beringer can work through his problems and become a quality backup big man.
The Wolves were comfortable with trading Julius Randle and Naz Reid (and not signing a true center) because of their belief in Beringer. Moreover, the Wolves view him as Gobert's successor. They can't abandon him or simply give him spot minutes if he struggles early on.
Fortunately, Finch seems ready to give him a consistent role even if he struggles. Now, Finch did mention that his minutes could fluctuate, but based on the 14-to-24-minute range he listed, Beringer still seems poised for a substantial role. I've always said that Beringer soaking up the non-Gobert minutes (around 15 per game) would be ideal, but it seems like he could play even more on some nights.
What the Timberwolves are wisely avoiding is playing Beringer under 10 minutes or only giving him one stint. This would make it harder for him to build momentum and learn from his mistakes.
In fairness, it's a delicate balance, given Beringer's youth and the Wolves' title aspirations. Regardless, being patient with Beringer is the Timberwolves' best chance of having a quality backup when Gobert is off the floor, and the long-term benefits are undeniable. The Timberwolves are taking the right approach with Beringer, and hopefully it'll pay off.
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