Joan Beringer made quite the impression in his rotational debut earlier this week. The French rookie stepped onto the floor and delivered a confident, well-rounded performance: 13 points, four offensive rebounds, two assists, and a steal in 30 minutes of action.
It was the kind of game that turns heads, especially from a first-year player still getting his footing in the NBA. But context matters, and that breakout came with Rudy Gobert serving a one-game suspension - a key detail when evaluating what Beringer’s role might realistically look like moving forward.
Fast forward to Friday, Gobert’s back in the lineup, and Beringer’s minutes drop to just seven. It’s a familiar story for Timberwolves fans who’ve seen this play out before - Rob Dillingham, another promising rookie, also saw his minutes fluctuate earlier this season despite showing flashes of real talent. And that’s the challenge head coach Chris Finch is facing: how do you carve out meaningful playing time for a developing big when your frontcourt is already stacked?
Let’s break it down. Minnesota’s top six includes three bigs: Gobert, Julius Randle, and Naz Reid.
That’s a lot of size, and a lot of talent, already soaking up major minutes. On Friday, Beringer’s limited stints came alongside Randle and Reid - a trio that, while intriguing on paper, struggled on the floor.
In that short window, the Wolves posted a net rating of minus-11.1. Sure, it’s a small sample size, but it’s not the kind of number that screams “let’s run this back.”
The issue isn’t Beringer’s talent - he’s already shown he can hold his own at the NBA level. The issue is fit.
When Gobert sits, Minnesota’s defense takes a noticeable dip. Lineups featuring Randle and Reid without Gobert have posted a 122.4 defensive rating, which lands in the 10th percentile league-wide.
That’s rough. And it’s exactly why fans were so eager to see what Beringer could bring to those non-Gobert minutes.
On Tuesday, he showed he can protect the rim and bring some energy to those stretches.
But here’s where things get tricky. Playing Beringer alongside Randle and Reid forces one of them into a role they’re not built for - defending opposing small forwards.
That’s not a long-term solution. It might work in short spurts or against certain matchups, but over time, it’s a defensive liability.
And that’s what we saw Friday - the lineup didn’t hold up.
So where does that leave Beringer? In a bit of a logjam, honestly.
Gobert is averaging 31.7 minutes, Randle 33.5, and Reid 26.6. There’s not a ton of wiggle room there.
Maybe you trim a minute or two here or there, but we’re not talking about enough to give Beringer a consistent role. Gobert’s already seen a slight reduction in his workload this year, Randle is arguably the team’s second-most important player, and Reid’s minutes are already on the lower end for a player of his impact.
That’s the reality: Minnesota’s frontcourt is deep, and unless there’s an injury or a major shift in rotation philosophy, Beringer’s path to regular minutes is murky. And that’s a shame from a development standpoint.
You want your young players on the floor, learning, growing, making mistakes in real time. Beringer’s shown he’s ready for more, but the current roster construction doesn’t leave much room for experimentation.
Chris Finch has a tough balancing act ahead. He’s managing a team with serious playoff aspirations and a loaded frontcourt rotation.
Giving Beringer more minutes means taking them from someone else - someone who’s already proven they can contribute at a high level. It’s not an easy call.
So for now, Beringer might have to wait his turn. But if the Wolves continue to struggle in those non-Gobert minutes, especially defensively, don’t be surprised if Finch starts looking Beringer’s way a little more often.
The rookie’s already shown he’s capable. Now it’s just a matter of opportunity.