The Timberwolves still have one more move to make this offseason, and the final roster spot could tell you a lot about what they think this team needs most.
As things stand, Minnesota has 17 players on the roster, with 14 on NBA contracts and three on two-ways. That leaves one open spot, and while the Wolves could chase a notable free agent or simply bring in a batch of camp bodies and let the competition sort it out, the bigger question is what kind of player makes the most sense there.
Rebounding and size jump out immediately. Minnesota lost a big chunk of both when Julius Randle and Naz Reid were moved out.
Those two accounted for 12.9 of the team’s 44.1 rebounds per game, while the incoming LaMelo Ball and Josh Green combined for just 6.6 rebounds last season with the Hornets. That leaves a gap that has to be filled somewhere, and with the roster currently built without a true power forward, Rudy Gobert is likely to be leaned on even more.
Gobert averaged 11.5 rebounds last season for the Wolves, only 0.2 below his career mark. He’s proven before that he can go well beyond that number, even into 14-plus-rebound territory, but expecting that kind of nightly output again in 2026-27 is probably asking a lot.
Joan Beringer should also see a larger role in his second season. In 7.9 minutes per game last year, he pulled down 2.3 rebounds, and more minutes could push him toward five boards a night.
If Minnesota wants a cleaner solution, it may need to find a rebounder through a signing or trade. The Wolves still have just over a veteran’s minimum in salary space and could create room by adjusting their two-way and rookie deals.
Jonathan Kuminga remains unsigned, which at least leaves the door open for Minnesota to make a play to address the need. For now, though, the hole is obvious.
Veteran presence is another area worth watching. Randle, Mike Conley, Kyle Anderson and Joe Ingles are gone, leaving Gobert and Trey Lyles as the only players in their thirties.
That doesn’t mean older players are a must, but experience tends to show up when the games get tight. The Knicks had four players in their thirties last year, while the Thunder and Celtics each had two.
The last team to win a title with only one player in his thirties was the 1976-77 Portland Trail Blazers.
Minnesota’s average age is just 25 years and 3 months, so adding another seasoned hand would not be a bad idea. The Wolves’ young core has already been through its share of playoff games, and Gobert brings a lifetime of experience of his own, but there’s still a case for one more veteran voice in the room.
That kind of player is getting harder to find. Bradley Beal, DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook headline what’s left, with Garrett Temple, Bismack Biyombo and Jeff Green also still available.
Shooting rounds out the list. Every team wants more of it, and the Wolves are no exception.
Donte DiVincenzo will be out at least half of the 2026-27 season, so Minnesota should be looking for a way to replace some of that production. Reid and Conley are also gone, taking two more reliable three-point shooters with them.
The Wolves do have plenty of perimeter threats already. Lyles and Green can shoot, Ball should keep firing from deep, and Ayo Dosunmu and Jaden McDaniels both hit better than 40.0% from three last season.
Anthony Edwards remains one of the league’s best deep threats. Even so, the center rotation is still Gobert and Beringer, and neither has ever made a three.
With the new offense, the spacing around them has to be there.
That’s why the ideal final piece would be a veteran who can shoot and rebound. It’s the perfect fit on paper, but also the hardest kind of player to land at that price point.
Still, Minnesota has a chance to find one. Whether it comes through a training camp invite that sticks or a late signing, the Wolves still have a shot to add something useful before the summer is over.
In Other News...
Timberwolves Just Built A Lakers Matchup Fans Should Love
Minnesotas trade for LaMelo Ball has already added another layer to a Timberwolves roster that was built to cause problems on the perimeter, and that matters because the Lakers have spent the offseason trying to rework a team that looks very different after LeBron James departure. Los Angeles brought in nine new players, including center Walker Kessler, but the bigger question is whether all that turnover actually solves the kind of issues that tend to show up in a playoff series against a disciplined, physical defense.
From Minnesotas perspective, the matchup is appealing because the Lakers are still viewed as thin on strong on-ball defenders, which could leave them chasing Minnesotas guards and wings possession after possession. With Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels setting the tone on the perimeter, the Timberwolves would seem to have the pieces to pressure a revamped Lakers roster in ways that could matter most when the games slow down and every matchup gets magnified. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Are Sending A Clear Message About Joan Beringer
The Timberwolves offseason has made the frontcourt picture a lot clearer around Rudy Gobert, and Joan Beringer is one of the main beneficiaries. After the roster reshuffle left the team thinner up front, the 17th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft is positioned to matter more than he did as a rookie, when his minutes were limited and his opportunities came in smaller bursts.
Chris Finch and the Wolves seem comfortable leaning into Beringers upside now, especially as a rim protector and energy piece off the bench. For a team that has already changed the mix around him, the next step is less about patience and more about whether Beringer can turn that trust into a real rotation role. [Read more 🡒]
Anthony Edwards Faces A Bigger Timberwolves Challenge This Season
Anthony Edwards entered the summer with another reminder of how much the Timberwolves are asking him to do. In the Court of Gold documentary, Warriors and Team USA coach Steve Kerr pushed Edwards on a simple point that still carries real weight for Minnesota: if he wants to keep climbing, his rebounding has to climb with him. It is a fair challenge for a player whose energy and athleticism already shape so much of the Wolves identity, especially after the offseason changes around him.
Edwards has shown he can help on the glass when the game turns physical and he is locked in at both ends. The bigger question is whether Minnesota can get that version of him more consistently now that the roster has shifted and the offensive burden may not rest on his shoulders quite as heavily. If he uses that extra breathing room to stay engaged defensively, the rebounding piece could become a real separator for both him and the Wolves. [Read more 🡒]