Joan Beringer has shown flashes - real, tangible flashes - of what he can bring to the Minnesota Timberwolves. His 13-point, five-rebound debut against the Milwaukee Bucks wasn’t just a nice night off the bench; it was the kind of performance that makes you wonder if the Wolves have something intriguing brewing in the rotation. And when Rudy Gobert sat out and Naz Reid exited early against San Antonio, Beringer stepped up again, delivering 10 points and eight boards in meaningful minutes.
But since then? Just eight total minutes across two games.
It’s a tough pill to swallow for any young player trying to carve out a role in the NBA, especially when the production is there. Beringer isn’t just holding his own - he’s producing in limited opportunities, and he’s doing it against legitimate frontcourt competition.
That kind of impact, even in a small sample size, should at least earn a second look. Instead, it feels like he’s back to square one.
This is the reality of life on the fringes of an NBA rotation. One night, you’re making an impact on both ends of the floor.
The next, you’re watching from the bench as veterans return and the rotation tightens. Beringer’s situation isn’t identical to Rob Dillingham’s, but there are parallels - especially when it comes to how head coach Chris Finch has managed their minutes.
Beringer’s leash has been short. One defensive lapse - like the wide-open Josh Giddey layup on Thursday night - and that’s it.
He didn’t see the floor again. Whether that was a direct result of the mistake or just part of the rotation plan, the message is clear: there’s not much room for error.
And that’s a tough environment for any young player, let alone one trying to find his footing.
The Wolves dropped their fourth straight game that night, and Beringer’s limited minutes didn’t swing the outcome. But the bigger story here is what these inconsistent minutes mean for player development - and what they say about Minnesota’s approach to grooming young talent.
We’ve already seen how this can affect a player like Dillingham. The second-year guard has struggled to find rhythm or confidence, averaging just 3.6 points on a 38 percent effective field goal rate.
He’s been out of the rotation since mid-December and is now being floated as a potential trade piece. His time on the floor was marked by a short leash and little room to grow through mistakes - a tough situation for any player, but especially for a 6-foot-2 guard still adjusting to the speed and physicality of the league.
Now, Beringer’s path is different. He’s a big man, not a scoring guard.
He’s not being asked to create offense or carry the load - he’s being asked to bring energy, rebound, protect the rim, and finish around the basket. And when he’s been given the chance, he’s done just that.
But if the Wolves want to see real development, they’ll need to give him more than three-minute stints and the occasional injury fill-in.
No one’s saying Beringer should suddenly be logging 25 minutes a night. But 12 to 15 solid minutes - enough to get into a rhythm and build some continuity - seems like a fair ask. Especially for a team that could use a little more depth and rim protection in the frontcourt.
Finch has a tough job. Balancing a win-now mentality with the long-term growth of young players is never easy, particularly for a team with playoff aspirations.
But if the Wolves are going to invest in Beringer’s development, they’ll need to show it with more than just spot minutes. Because so far, when he’s played, he’s shown he belongs - and that’s worth something.