With Anthony Edwards, sidelined for at least the next seven games, the time is now to change things up for Chris Finch and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Outside of their problematic point guard play, the Wolves' abysmal defense has been a key storyline in this young season.
The Wolves' defense has struggled, ranking 27th overall, and they have especially struggled without Rudy Gobert. In fact, when Gobert is on the court, the Wolves have a top 10 defense, but Minnesota has the league's worst defense with him off the court.
Julius Randle and Naz Reid are highly impactful players, but they can't anchor a defense. Jaden McDaniels is being overly taxed as an on-ball defender. One solution to this problem could be to give Joan Beringer some real minutes. This might come as a surprise given that the 18-year-old rookie is extremely raw. I, for one, viewed this year as a development season for Beringer.
However, their defense quite literally can't get worse with Rudy off the court, and that's one area where Beringer looks NBA-ready. He is an elite athlete with impressive shot-blocking chops and plenty of mobility. And offensively, the Wolves rank 29th with Gobert on the court. Again, it can't get worse playing Beringer. Especially without Edwards for the time being, I don't see why Beringer shouldn't get some minutes.
The time is now to give Beringer some real minutes
Beringer has played just seven total minutes, all in "garbage time" to date. Could Beringer help solve the non-Rudy minutes and establish himself as a mainstay in the rotation? I'd say there's at least a chance of that.
Even if Beringer struggles when given an opportunity, I don't see why they shouldn't give him a chance. Additionally, the Wolves have a favorable upcoming schedule; in the next three games, they play the Los Angeles Lakers, who lack high-quality centers, the Charlotte Hornets, and the Brooklyn Nets. There's simply no reason not to at least give the French rookie a chance.
The main priority would be fixing the defensive issues without Gobert, and that was Beringer's main strength as a prospect. However, I think there's a chance he could also benefit the Wolves' offense. Is Beringer raw, especially on offense? Absolutely. Nevertheless, Beringer is an athletic rim-runner and a high-quality screener as well. This could help open up opportunities for Mike Conley, Rob Dillingham, and Bones Hyland.
From a development standpoint, how is Beringer supposed to improve without playing at all, and the Wolves could clearly benefit from his skill set. Ultimately, I expect Finch to turn to Beringer at some point during this upcoming stretch. While I can't guarantee it will solve some of the Wolves' problems, it's a possibility that can't be ruled out.