The player that most Minnesota Timberwolves fans were most looking forward to watching in their summer league opener on Thursday was Joan Beringer. The second-year player didn’t disappoint with an all-around excellent performance (18 points, 11 rebounds, four blocks) in Minnesota’s win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
Of course, those fans want to see even more of Beringer on Saturday when they take on the Denver Nuggets, but fans are also eager to see rookie Isaiah Evans, who didn't play on Thursday.
Now that their trade with the Brooklyn Nets is (finally) official, they will hopefully be tuning in to see Evans as well. It will be a difficult path for the rookie to find a role in the rotation in 2026-27, but a strong summer league will likely provide him with a better opportunity to do so.
Evans can provide needed outside shooting to the Timberwolves Â
Yes, the 2026 NBA Draft took place over two weeks ago, but Evans still had to wait to officially be a member of the Timberwolves until Friday. He was selected in the second round (33rd overall) in June’s draft, but that pick originally belonged to the Brooklyn Nets -- it was acquired by Minnesota in the Julius Randle trade.
With the trade now official, it should allow Evans to suit up for Saturday’s contest. If so, it will be the first time he plays in a Timberwolves uniform. He already began practicing with his summer league club on Friday and is wearing jersey No. 33.
Now 20 years old, Evans comes to Minnesota after spending two years collegiately with the Duke Blue Devils. Evans was projected by many to go late in the first round.
Jeremy Woo of ESPN had him landing 28th to the Cleveland Cavaliers in his last mock draft, while Sam Vecenie of The Athletic had him coming off the board at pick No. 25 to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Wolves lucked out in seeing him fall to early in the second.
He’s a 6-foot-6 guard who can spray it from beyond the arc. As a sophomore, he also showcased more of an ability to drive the ball to the hole, as well as being able to hinder opponents' shots. Driving more inside also led to many more free-throw attempts.
Rookies usually have a difficult time finding a ton of minutes under Chris Finch. The summer league will be the first opportunity for Evans to show that he can buck that trend.
Evans could even make Josh Green, acquired along with LaMelo Ball in the trade with the Charlotte Hornets, more expendable.
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