The Minnesota Timberwolves still have 14 regular season games remaining. Hopefully, there is somewhat of a lengthy postseason run as well for Minnesota after two straight years of reaching the Western Conference finals.
Still, it’s never too early to think about what the roster and rotation might look like next season. In the brief time when he was receiving rotational minutes, Joan Beringer looked like someone who belonged on an NBA court. With all the key frontcourt pieces also signed for next year, though, it’s likely one would have to be traded in order for the French big man to see playing time.
From mid to late January, Beringer was seeing regular action for the Timberwolves. The minutes were certainly scattered, but in the three outings he played more than 15 minutes, the 19-year-old had averages of 10.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and a block while shooting an excellent 14-of-17 from the field. Minnesota was also a plus-50 with him on the court in those three contests.
Joan Beringer doesn't have much of a role next season without a trade being made
The problem is that regular playing time is hard to come by on a team that features Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle, and Naz Reid. Not only are the three clearly ahead of Beringer in the team's pecking order, but they also all rarely miss games (Randle has played in all 68 of their games).
With playing time back to being unavailable for Beringer, he has been sent back down to the G League to get reps with the Iowa Wolves. Beringer stands out when playing for Iowa, as evidenced by him averaging 20 points (35-of-51 from the field), 15.3 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks in Iowa’s last four outings.
Of course, the hope is that the Timberwolves can go on some type of playoff run. Anything short of the NBA Finals, though, could result in some roster changes. Minnesota could look to add a floor general to the team, and the most likely way to get one that earns a somewhat large salary is by dealing at least one of Gobert, Randle, or Reid.
It has been exciting for Timberwolves fans to see the upside that Beringer possesses. It’s hard to see how his playing time will increase next season though without a move (or moves) being made. It’s something that the front office is really going to have to think about this summer.