The Timberwolves may enter opening night with one roster spot still open, and that looks intentional. Minnesota appears likely to keep that flexibility in place, just as it did last season, with tax considerations also part of the equation.
That setup leaves one question hanging over the roster: do the Wolves need a third center before the season reaches its stretch run? The answer doesn’t have to come immediately. Minnesota has until the February 11 trade deadline to decide whether it needs to add another big man.
For now, Rudy Gobert is locked in as the starter, and Joan Beringer is positioned for a much bigger role in his second season as the first center off the bench. After that, the options thin out quickly.
Trey Lyles is on the roster and can play center, but he is better suited to the four and won’t bring the same rim protection as Minnesota’s top two centers. Second-year big man Rocco Zikarsky, who is 7-foot-3, is on a two-way contract and is not expected to log much NBA time.
That makes the depth chart a little uneasy if Gobert or Beringer misses time. Beringer taking a real step forward wouldn’t be a shock, but he still has to prove he can handle that workload.
Even if both centers stay healthy, Minnesota could still explore the market by the deadline. The top teams in the West, the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, have plenty of size.
The Denver Nuggets still have Nikola Jokic. The Los Angeles Lakers have Walker Kessler.
The Wolves won’t want to be caught short on size if an injury hits after the deadline and before the playoffs. The Dallas Mavericks and Charlotte Hornets both appear to have more centers than they need, which could make them trade partners.
Daniel Gafford or Moussa Cissé could become available from Dallas, while Moussa Diabaté and Ryan Kalkbrenner are names to keep an eye on in Charlotte. By February, the market may have more options beyond that.
Minnesota would clearly prefer to have its center picture settled before the regular season begins. But the team will also have a full batch of lineup data by then, including time with Lyles at center, and that should help determine how aggressively it needs to pursue another big man before the deadline.
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 🡒]