The Minnesota Timberwolves have a new look going into this season, but for all the talk about a high-tempo offense, it also comes with a shift in the paint. Rudy Gobert will anchor the Wolves at center this season, but the upside of second-year player Joan Beringer has been a key talking point and just as big a storyline heading into the year.
The preseason hasn’t slowed down Beringer’s hype train much, averaging 7.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocks over Minnesota’s first four games. But the Pioneer Press’s Jace Frederick aptly suggested the one thing that could slow it down is Beringer’s tendency to get into foul trouble.
“I just don’t think Joan Beringer can play 30-plus minutes without fouling out of a basketball game,” Frederick said during an appearance on the Dane Moore NBA Podcast. “...I think in a 15-minute role, it’s fine because foul trouble, whatever, like maybe you’re sending guys. It’s not ideal for a guy who’s going to play during the bonus of like the first quarter. But in general, you can survive it because you’re not worried about him fouling out in his role.”
Joan Beringer’s foul concerns haven’t gone away this preseason
Overall, the preseason has been a positive development for Beringer. In addition to his stats, he’s shown a scoring touch around the rim. He has also been an elite rim protector, which is something that made the Wolves take notice when they selected him with the 17th overall pick in the 2025 draft.
Beringer’s rebounding is also a benefit for a Wolves team that has to replace Julius Randle and Naz Reid on the glass, and his ability to run the floor with top-tier athleticism is something to look forward to for a 20-year-old player getting used to life in the NBA.
This is what got Wolves fans excited about Beringer a year ago. While he averaged just 7.9 minutes per night during his rookie season, Beringer put up big projections when he was on the court, averaging 17.9 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per 36 minutes. But to Frederick’s point, he averaged 5.4 fouls per 36 minutes, which kept him from playing meaningful minutes.
That issue hasn’t gone away during the preseason. While his offensive and rebounding numbers are promising, he’s still fouling three times a game at 17.6 minutes. Do the math and that comes up to 6.1 fouls per 36 minutes and something that wipes away the positives he’s shown this preseason and could be a weakness in the Timberwolves depth when the games begin to count.
Timberwolves’ depth could be exposed if Beringer doesn’t stop fouling
Beringer isn’t taking over for Gobert on a full-time basis this year, but there’s a chance he could get an expanded role. While Gobert has played in at least 70 games in each of his first four seasons in Minnesota, he’s also 34 years old. That could create some load-management games that could put Beringer in the spotlight, but if he keeps fouling, it brings the Wolves further down the bench.
Rocco Zikarsky is a potential option, but while he has the size (7-foot-3, 227 pounds) to fill in, he’s struggled during the preseason with 2.0 points and 1.5 rebounds over 9.8 minutes in two preseason appearances. He was a raw second-round pick in 2025, and he's on a two-way contract. Simply put, it's hard to expect much from him.
Terrence Shannon Jr. could play the power forward role, and Trey Lyles could play center in case of an emergency. That's neither player's ideal role, though. As such, that raises concerns about the Timberwolves' roster being extremely undersized, which went on through the summer before Jonathan Kuminga joined in free agency.
The key is that Beringer must stop fouling if he wants to be a constant player in the Timberwolves rotation. And with the team’s lack of depth, it’s more of a necessity for their frontcourt plans this season.
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