Recently, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic did a "mailbag" article about the Minnesota Timberwolves' upcoming season. One of the more intriguing questions was about rookie French big man Joan Beringer's role.
"The Wolves love what they’ve seen from Beringer in his early days here, Krawczynski wrote. I think he will see some time in Iowa to get some run and ease into things since he doesn’t turn 19 until November. But Connelly and general manager Matt Lloyd made it clear after they drafted him that he was going to spend plenty of time with the big club this season. They think he can play on defense right now. Given the Wolves already have Gobert, Randle and Reid in the frontcourt, it is hard to see where the minutes would come unless there was an injury or foul trouble. Just ask Luka Garza. But I wouldn’t be surprised to see him sprinkled in here and there just because of that defense."
This seems like a perfect plan for the No. 17 pick. Given that Beringer is currently 18 and won't turn 19 until November, spending some time in the G League to start off is logical. However, his defense is already at an NBA level, and the Wolves should find a way to give Beringer some occasional NBA minutes. In an 82-game season, finding some time for occasional minutes shouldn't be too challenging.
The Wolves' plan for Beringer is perfect
Undoubtedly, the Wolves shouldn't rush Beringer to play immediately. He is still fairly raw on offense, and he just started playing basketball in 2021. For a team with title hopes, integrating a young player into their rotation will be hard. Furthermore, with Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle, and Naz Reid, the Wolves have a loaded frontcourt. As a result, starting off in the G League at least for a short period of time will help Beringer. After this it only seems right to give him some NBA minutes. ,
In the same breath, not playing Beringer in Minnesota at all as a rookie would be a mistake. Yes, he's somewhat raw, but he also needs real NBA experience to grow, and it seems like the Wolves are prepared to give him some opportunity.
Krawczynski noted that the Wolves believe he can play defense right now. Given his blend of rim protection and mobility, that seems to be true. Notably, Beringer averaged 2.5 blocks in summer league. While Beringer is nowhere near his ceiling, his defense will allow him to make a positive impact.
The Wolves are looking to expand their rotation
Chris Finch has discussed expanding the Wolves' rotation, which includes up to 10 players. Beringer is on the outside looking in of this group and feels like the clear 11th man in the rotation, and he feels unlikely to be a mainstay. However, during an 82-game season, minor injuries always arise, as do situational opportunities like foul trouble. Against bad teams, there will likely be opportunities for Beringer.
At 33, the Wolves may look to reduce Gobert's minutes a bit. They could also sit Gobert out more or be cautious if he has a minor injury. This could open up some minutes for Beringer. Chris Finch and company will have to balance developing their young talent with winning games. Expanding the rotation is a clear way for Finch to develop the team's young players.
Even if Beringer isn't a mainstay in the Wolves, an expanded rotation will help him get some minutes here and there. Ultimately, Beringer's upside is immense, while he won't play a ton this season, playing some occasional minutes will help him adjust to the NBA, and this will benefit his long-term outlook.