Josh Minott’s rise has been one of the more interesting developments around the Nets this summer. A player who spent most of his first three NBA seasons watching from the sideline finally got a real runway last year, and he made it count with both Boston and Brooklyn. The payoff came quickly: Brooklyn handed him a two-year, $9 million contract extension.
That deal might look like a breakthrough moment for a former second-round pick, but Minott isn’t treating it like arrival time.
“ I don't really think I had a mental shift [after signing the contract]. It’s kind of the same hunger I’ve had,” Minott said.
“At the end of the day, there’s so much to prove. From top to bottom, everybody in here knows how we’re perceived, and we’re trying to exceed expectations by a ton… One thing I've learned in my four years, going on five, is that you're never settled in.
I would never get complacent. You can never be complacent.
I feel like that's advice to everybody in any profession. You guys, there's a young reporter trying to take your job.
I'd say just never get too complacent; always stay competitive. It's a competitive job.”
The 23-year-old’s path has been a slow climb. His first three seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves were largely spent on the bench, but once he got extended minutes last season, he started to look like a real rotation piece. Across 49 games, he averaged 7.4 points and 3.4 rebounds in 17.0 minutes per contest while shooting 62.6 percent on twos and 41.8 percent from three on 9.2 attempts per 100 possessions.
What made Minott stand out wasn’t just the shooting. He used his 6-foot-8 frame and seven-foot wingspan to make life miserable for opponents on defense, and the numbers backed it up.
He was the NBA’s only player to finish with steal and block percentages above 2.5 while also shooting better than 40.0 percent from deep. His 4.7 deflections per 36 minutes ranked 17th among 322 players who logged more than 800 minutes.
Now the challenge shifts from producing in bursts to carving out a lasting place in Brooklyn’s plans. Minott said he understands exactly where he can help.
“I'd say everything starts defensively. If you don't have that, you really don't have anything,” Minott said.
“On my last two teams, you couldn't even think about or dream of touching the court without defense. I understand we have some new pieces now, some ball-dominant pieces.
I've seen the work [Julius Randle] can do in the post and how he can create out of there. So I'd say I'm just focusing on finding spots [offensively], playing off the ball.
I understand I probably won't be running any offense, which I'm [fine with], but it's more just finding ways to impact the game, whether that be defensively or off-ball cutting, setting screens, things like that.”
There will be competition for those minutes. Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle are expected to start at the forward spots, while Minott will be in the mix with Noah Clowney, Danny Wolf and Joshua Jefferson for second-unit work. Sophomore Drake Powell, along with veterans Keon Ellis and Terance Mann, could also see time on the wing.
Head coach Jordi Fernandez made it clear that Minott’s summer has put him in the conversation.
“Roles can change. You can have a bigger role, you can have a smaller role.
And Josh, he's put a lot of work and effort through the summer and now in training camp, and I expect good things to happen,” Fernandez said. “The reality is usually you play with nine to 11 players.
And the good thing is these guys are putting me in a tough spot because they're all doing a great job. So that's what I want as a coach: to make tough decisions… I think that it's about being positive and being diligent with your work.
[Josh has] had a really good summer… I cannot predict the future, but I can tell you that I'm very happy with him.”
In Other News...
Joan Beringer Could Fix A Timberwolves Problem Fans Know Too Well
Joan Beringer enters his second season with a clear opening on the Minnesota Timberwolves roster: the chance to handle the minutes behind Rudy Gobert. For a team that has long had to manage the non-Gobert stretches carefully, that matters. Beringers appeal is straightforward enough for a coaching staff to appreciate. He brings athleticism, a promising defensive profile and enough presence around the basket to give Minnesota a different look at center when the starter sits.
The bigger question is how much of that potential shows up right away. Beringer is still a developing player, but his value could reach beyond simple backup duty if his defense translates the way the Wolves hope and his offense adds some easy finish opportunities at the rim. For a team built on making life difficult for opponents, even modest progress there could make a noticeable difference in the minutes that have too often been a soft spot. [Read more 🡒]
Chris Finch Sees One Early Sign Wolves Fans Will Love In LaMelo Ball
As Minnesota settles into the early stages of the season, Chris Finch has been paying close attention to LaMelo Balls fit and, more importantly, to the parts of his game that can sharpen the Timberwolves right away. The coachs perspective matters here because Minnesota is not looking for a reinvention so much as a seamless addition of talent, and Finchs read on Ball has centered on the idea that the guard can bring his usual style without being boxed into something unfamiliar.
The encouraging part for Wolves fans is the way Finch has framed Balls preseason work on the defensive end, where Minnesota has been searching for signs that his tools can translate beyond the highlight plays. With his length and awareness already drawing notice alongside Rudy Gobert, there is at least a real opening for Ball to contribute in a way that fits the Wolves identity, even if the full picture of his role is still coming into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Joan Beringer Just Gave Timberwolves Fans A Reason To Watch Him Closely
Joan Beringer gave the Timberwolves a useful look in their preseason meeting with the Bucks, showing why the front office is still intrigued by his long-term upside in the frontcourt. The young big man looked more comfortable as a screener and more dependable around the rim than he did as a rookie, which matters for a Minnesota team that is always searching for size and reliability inside.
The performance also came with a reminder that his development is still a work in progress. Foul trouble clipped his stint and kept him from building on the strong stretches he flashed, leaving the Wolves with the same kind of question they have had around him all along: how quickly can he turn promising tools into something they can count on every night? [Read more 🡒]