While a majority of the roster remains the same as last season, the Minnesota Timberwolves have undergone some significant changes in the offseason. By trading Naz Reid and Julius Randle and acquiring LaMelo Ball, the Wolves sacrificed the size that has been a staple of their team in recent years.
The transactions have thinned the frontcourt depth chart behind Rudy Gobert. One thing is clear for the upcoming season: as much as the team wanted a star-level point guard in Ball, they never would have changed the roster as significantly as they did if the franchise didn’t have faith in Joan Beringer.
Belief in Beringer helped lead to roster changes
The 17th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Beringer played almost all of last season at just 19 years old. With Gobert, Reid, and Randle established as frontcourt players ahead of him in the pecking order, the 6-foot-11 center played only 314 total regular-season minutes. That ranked him just 54th among all rookies in 2025–26, behind even a few undrafted players.
Now, take a look at the depth chart for the season that starts in about two and a half months. The starting power forward for the team has not yet been determined. Off the bench, the top frontcourt player is Beringer—unless Trey Lyles surprisingly plays ahead of him after a year overseas.
While his time on the floor for Minnesota was quite limited as a rookie, Beringer absolutely showed the vast potential he possesses. Turning 20 on November 11, Beringer will be more of a rim protector than the two departing frontcourt players. He doesn’t look too uncomfortable when caught on the perimeter. Beringer also possesses a lot of energy and can be a rim runner on offense, where he should find an easy lob or two from a teammate each game.
Obviously, Beringer isn’t a finished product. He is prone to fouling and needs to learn that he doesn’t have to leave his feet on every shot in an attempt to block it. Much like Gobert, his scoring will rarely extend beyond the paint.
He has shown enough, though, for Chris Finch to give him a fairly sizable role next season. Gobert played 31.3 minutes per contest in 2025–26, and at 34 years old, it’s unlikely that number will increase significantly, if at all.
Whenever the four-time Defensive Player of the Year needs a breather, Beringer should enter the game to keep a rim protector on the floor for the Timberwolves at all times.
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