The Timberwolves are staring at an important call on Joan Beringer, with the end of the month set as the deadline to exercise the team option on his 2027/28 contract. Even if Minnesota goes that route, the bigger picture is clear: this is the season when Beringer is expected to be Rudy Gobert’s backup and give the Wolves real minutes.
Coach Chris Finch made the assignment plain.
“The platform is there and we need him to play,” Finch said. “It could be 14 minutes a night, it could be 24 minutes a night, and that’ll be determined on how he’s playing. And we need to be good enough around him in those moments where he’s not having one of his better nights, so he can be confident, and he gives us energy and effort, at least as a baseline.”
Beringer has already shown he’s ready to embrace the responsibility. He put up nine points and nine rebounds in 15 minutes against Orlando on Friday, then spoke with the kind of calm you want from a young big man getting thrown into the mix.
“I’m not afraid,” he said. “I love to learn, that’s why I’m not afraid to make mistakes.
It’s how you grow. So, no, I’m not afraid at all.”
Minnesota also locked in another key piece this week, with Jaden McDaniels signing a one-year, $40MM extension that keeps him under contract through the 2029/30 season. McDaniels told The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski how natural the move felt for him.
“I just love the place I’m at. Love Minnesota, love the fans, the atmosphere, just everything,” he said.
“Just being here for seven years already, it’s just a no-brainer adding another year. “
Out west, the Trail Blazers are leaning into depth, especially in the backcourt, and Damian Lillard and Ja Morant are on board with that setup, according to Jason Quick of The Athletic. Morant, whose contract runs through next season, said the rotation only works if everyone checks the ego at the door.
“That’s the good thing about having this group,” said Morant. “Obviously, you know, minutes got to be spread out. But if we all are unselfish, ego-free and you know, just want the best way … there shouldn’t be no problems.”
Lillard said he and Morant have already built a quick rapport, and he pointed to the team’s willingness to make late-game adjustments.
“I think that’s what makes our team special, and what’s gonna make it continue to be special, is that we’ve got guys who can identify those moments and understand,” Lillard said.
In Utah, Jazz coach Will Hardy made it sound like the organization has moved past the rebuilding label. Speaking in a wide-ranging interview with Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix, Hardy said the focus now is on daily standards and what those habits can produce.
“I’m excited because I think we have a really hungry team and I have really high expectations for them every day,” he said. “It’s hard for me to look off in the distance and say, ‘I expect this at the end of the year,’ but I do expect and demand a really high standard of our players each and every day. The hope is that those standards every day and that work every day will ultimately lead to some good results.”
In Other News...
Timberwolves Face An Early Test With One Key Piece Missing
The Timberwolves get an early season measuring stick Sunday night at Target Center, where they host Toronto in a matchup that has plenty of preseason intrigue even before the opening tip. It is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET and will be carried on NBA TV, DAZN-MIN, TSN and TSN+, giving both teams a national stage as they settle into the new year.
Minnesota will have to navigate it without Donte DiVincenzo, a notable absence from the rotation as the Wolves try to protect home court against a Raptors team listed as a small underdog. Toronto also has a key injury note of its own, with Nate Bittle ruled out, but the bigger question for Minnesota is how it handles the missing wing depth against a conference opponent that can make a game uncomfortable if the pace gets away from them. [Read more 🡒]
Naz Reid Is Making The Wolves Regret What They Lost
Naz Reids move out of Minnesota always came with some context. The Timberwolves had enough frontcourt depth to keep his role narrower than his talent might have suggested, and in Charlotte he has quickly looked like a player with more to offer when given a larger lane. As a starter, he has bumped up his production across the board compared with his Minnesota seasons, giving the Hornets a more complete version of the big man Wolves fans only saw in flashes.
For Minnesota, the early returns are hard to ignore because Reid is showing he can handle a heavier offensive and playmaking load while still impacting the glass. It is the sort of development that can make a front office rethink how much it was willing to part with, especially in a deal built around LaMelo Ball and a reshuffling of the Wolves roster core. Reid is proving the opportunity mattered, and the question now is how long Charlotte can keep getting that version of him. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Hot Start Is Already Creating A Real Rotation Battle
The early wins have done more than give the Timberwolves a good feeling around the building. They have also turned the back end of Chris Finchs rotation into a real day-to-day puzzle, with the coach still sorting through how different bench pieces fit alongside a team that has come out playing with purpose. Trey Lyles, Bones Hyland and Jaylen Clark have all been part of that conversation, each bringing a different skill set while Finch keeps mixing and matching based on matchups and game flow.
Bones Hylands first non-garbage-time appearance of the season in Orlando was another reminder that nothing is settled yet, and his eight minutes only added to the sense that Finch is still searching for the right balance. The Timberwolves have enough momentum to buy some patience, but the competition for roles is already tightening, especially with multiple reserves trying to separate themselves before the rotation starts to harden. [Read more 🡒]