The Timberwolves and Knicks find themselves in the same neighborhood this offseason: each has two open roster spots, and each is likely to use only one of them to stay under the second apron. That leaves both teams with a familiar question hanging over the roster - who’s the third big?
New York has already started to move on that front. The Knicks lost Mitchell Robinson to the Boston Celtics and also saw third-string center Ariel Hukporti sign with the Philadelphia 76ers.
They brought in Andre Drummond, and on Wednesday the team added more competition by announcing training-camp deals for Drew Eubanks and James Wiseman. Those veterans, along with Bruce Brown, Ochai Agbaji, and John Konchar, will get a shot to win a spot.
Minnesota, though, is still in wait-and-see mode.
The Wolves have gotten smaller and quicker this offseason, but that has come with less frontcourt bulk. Naz Reid and Julius Randle are both gone after filling major roles over the last two years, with Reid handling both power forward and center during his time in Minnesota.
Right now, Rudy Gobert and Joan Beringer are the only centers on the roster. Trey Lyles can slide to the middle if necessary, but he’s more naturally a power forward. That makes the need for another experienced center pretty clear, especially if Beringer - who is not quite 20 years old - isn’t ready for a major jump in minutes.
The expectation is that he will be ready, but that won’t be proven until he shows it on the floor, game after game, instead of the kind of uneven outings that come with learning on the fly.
Kevin Love has been mentioned as a possible reunion target, and he remains a free agent, but nothing has happened yet.
With the regular-season opener 33 days away, Minnesota still has time to add to the group, and it still has room for training-camp deals. The Knicks may have already addressed their need for a third center. The Timberwolves haven’t - and if they don’t, it will stay a live issue around the team.
In Other News...
Anthony Edwards Had A Funny Response To LeBron Passing On Minnesota
LeBron James free agency detour included a run at Minnesota, which is exactly the kind of star chase that always gets noticed around the Timberwolves. The Lakers star passed on a return to Los Angeles for the 2026-2027 season, and the Wolves were among the teams that made their pitch before he landed elsewhere, leaving Minnesota to watch one of the biggest names in the sport go another direction.
Anthony Edwards, never one to miss a chance to keep things loose, had some jokes ready when asked about the decision. His comments leaned into the familiar Minnesota weather angle and turned the whole thing into a little local humor, which is often how these moments get handled when a franchise like the Wolves is trying to lure a legend and coming up just short. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Season May Ride On Two Role Changes Fans Can't Ignore
The Timberwolves roster shakeup has left a few familiar names heading into different kinds of seasons, and two of the most important adjustments may come from players who are being asked to do a little more than before. Joan Beringer is in line for a much bigger reserve role behind Rudy Gobert, a shift that would put real pressure on his development and make his minutes a bigger part of Minnesotas nightly plan.
Jaden McDaniels is another player whose responsibilities could grow as the frontcourt and scoring balance around him changes. After a strong playoff stretch last spring, he enters this season with a clearer path to more offense, and the Wolves will need that lift if the new rotation pieces settle in the way they hope. [Read more 🡒]
Why Jonathan Kuminga Really Passed On The Lakers
Jonathan Kumingas move to Minnesota brings a little more clarity to one of the summers quieter free-agent storylines. He signed a two-year, $12.4 million contract with the Timberwolves, and the setup includes a player option in the second year, giving him some control over his next step while joining a team that has become a more interesting landing spot for players betting on fit and flexibility.
What made the decision linger was the buzz around Los Angeles, where the Lakers were said to be in the mix with a more lucrative pitch. Kuminga, though, pushed back on the idea that he simply walked away from a bigger payday, and the structure of Minnesotas deal suggests the appeal was about more than raw dollars. For the Timberwolves, that at least adds a little intrigue to how and why he chose their path over a more familiar headline-grabbing alternative. [Read more 🡒]