Minnesota Timberwolves basketball is back this week, with Las Vegas Summer League starting on Thursday. But when do the Timberwolves play? How does one watch these games? And who's on the team? Have no fear, we've got you covered with this comprehensive guide to the Timberwolves' summer league.Â
Timberwolves full summer league schedule
- Thursday, July 9, 2:30 CT (Prime): Timberwolves vs. New Orleans PelicansÂ
- Saturday, July 11, 6:30 CT (Prime): Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets
- Monday, July 13, 10:00 CT (ESPN 2): Timberwolves vs. Portland Trail Blazers
- Wednesday, July 15, 2:30 CT (Prime): Timberwolves vs. Indiana Pacers
While the Timberwolves won't play against any first-round picks from this year's draft, that doesn't mean these matchups aren't intriguing.Â
Of these games, the Trail Blazers could be the most exciting, since we will see Joan Beringer go head-to-head with fellow 2025 first-round pick Yang Hansen. Both big men had limited roles as rookies, but Beringer showed a bit more promise. Nevertheless, this will be a perfect chance to see Beringer alongside a young player who is in a similar situation.
The Wolves' first game against the Pelicans should also be fun, but unfortunately, last year's first-round picks Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears aren't on the roster.Â
A matchup with the Denver Nuggets will feature early second-round pick Trevon Brazile; the power forward/center should be another fun test for Beringer. The Indiana Pacers feature early second-round pick Braden Smith, who should provide a fun matchup for rookie Isaiah Evans.Â
The Wolves will play at least one more game that isn't yet on the schedule. Each of the top four teams will play in the summer league playoffs, with the other 26 teams getting to play a consolation game.
Timberwolves full summer league roster and key players to watch
Position | Starter | Bench |
|---|---|---|
PG | Zyon Pullin | Trey Campbell, Donovan Williams, Dajuan Harris, |
SG | Isaiah Evans** | Damion Baugh, Aidan Mahaney, |
SF | Enrique Freeman | Nate Santos, Toby Harris, Devin McGlockton, Chris Mantis |
PF | Joan Beringer | Trey Kaufman-Renn, Jaylin Williams |
C | Rocco Zikarsky |
Nathan Bubes will serve as the Timberwolves summer league head coach.
Outside of the aforementioned second-year big man Joan Beringer, second-round pick Isaiah Evans is the player who fans are most excited to see in summer league.
However, it's essential to note that he isn't on the official roster yet (hence the asterisk next to his name). The Wolves landed the 33rd pick, which they used to select Evans, as part of the Julius Randle trade. For financial reasons, this trade and the LaMelo Ball deal are connected, and the deal won't be finalized until July 9, due to a clause in Mouhamadou Gueye’s contract that prohibits Gueye from being traded until this date.
As such, it's unclear if Evans will be able to play for the Timberwolves in their first game. Nevertheless, fans will be excited to see what the sharpshooter from Duke can do once he steps up on the court.
Evans had a breakout sophomore season with the Blue Devils, which saw him increase his duties as a shot creator while remaining an elite spot-up shooter. Hopefully, this trend can continue at the summer league level. It's possible that he can carve out a role in his rookie year, thanks to his blend of shooting, general scoring and connectivity.
Seeing what Beringer can do with a year of development under his belt will perhaps be the highlight of summer league for Wolves fans. With Randle and Naz Reid traded, Beringer will be depended on for rotational minutes. He thrived as a high-energy shot blocker and rim runner in limited minutes last season.
If he dominates in summer league, that will add to the optimism around a breakout season.
The Timberwolves have announced they'll play him alongside last year's second-round pick, Rocco Zikarsky, in a supersized starting lineup. Beringer is set to play a de facto power forward role, while the 7-foot-3 Zikarsky will be the center. Who knows if we'll ever see this lineup in the NBA, but in summer league, this could work thanks to Beringer's mobility and Zikarsky's floor spacing.
A strong summer league from Zikarsky could help him earn a standard contract, as the financially crunched Timberwolves have two open roster spots.
Zyon Pullin and Enrique Freeman were two-way players with the Wolves last season. It's already been announced that Freeman will return on a two-way deal. Regardless, things can change quickly for two-way players. As such, this is a golden chance for Pullin and Freeman to solidify their standing with the Wolves or perhaps even earn an opportunity elsewhere.
Trey Kaufman-Renn is the last player who could be considered a standout. The Wolves selected Kaufman-Renn with the 59th pick after an impressive collegiate career at Purdue.
He is a candidate for one of the Timberwolves' two-way spots, or if he excels at summer league, a standard roster spot isn't impossible since Minnesota has two open roster spots and a need for forward depth.
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