Despite being the 17th overall pick in this past draft, Joan Beringer has spent the majority of his time between either the Iowa Wolves or garbage time with the Timberwolves. However, an unfortunate circumstance might be just what Beringer needs to carve out a role in the Wolves' rotation.
In the Wolves' 104-103 comeback win against the San Antonio Spurs, Rudy Gobert got assessed his fifth flagrant foul of the season, resulting in a one-game suspension. Gobert will be unable to play in their next game against the Milwaukee Bucks, giving Wolves head coach Chris Finch no choice but to give Beringer a shot.
As currently constructed, the Wolves' center depth has been a major problem this year. Gobert is the only 7-footer in the rotation, and in the non-Rudy minutes, the Wolves have struggled astronomically to defend the rim and rebound the ball.
The pairing of Naz Reid and Julius Randle hasn't been good at all, on defense this season. Both of them are too small to hang with other teams' 7-footers for long periods of time. Pairing one of them with Beringer could unlock a new element of this team.
Beringer has been a force for the Iowa Wolves
In Iowa, Beringer has impressed with his ability to protect the rim at a high level, while also being athletic enough to hold his own on the perimeter.
During seven games in Iowa, he is averaging 11.6 PPG, 8.4 RPG, and 2.7 BPG while shooting 56.7 percent from the field. In his most recent game, he had an impressive 14 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 stocks (!!).
If Beringer can give the Wolves this kind of production in a backup role, the solution to not only an heir to Gobert in the future, but a backup to him right now, may already be on the team.
Beringer could help fix the non-Rudy minutes
The disparity of the Wolves' defense with Gobert on the floor versus off the floor is one of the more jarring numbers in the league. As of January 12, the Wolves have the equivalent of the second-best defense in the league with Gobert on the floor, and the equivalent of the last-ranked defense when he is on the bench.
Having another rim protector and glass cleaner in Beringer play during the 10-15 minutes per game that Gobert sits should raise the Wolves' non-Rudy defensive rating, because let's face it, anything is better than what they're currently working with in that regard.
Wolves fans have been pleading for the rookie to get a chance all season, and due to Gobert's recklessness, the non-Rudy minutes may be slightly less of a nightmare going forward if Beringer can impress.