The Timberwolves may not need to wait much longer to rethink their center rotation. Rudy Gobert’s uneven start has opened the door, and Joan Beringer keeps stepping through it every time he gets the chance.
That’s not the same as saying Minnesota is ready to hand the job over. Gobert remains one of the NBA’s best defensive centers when he’s right. But right now, the Wolves need more than defense and rebounding from that spot, especially with Anthony Edwards sidelined and the scoring burden spreading thin across the roster.
Beringer, meanwhile, has been giving them useful minutes that are hard to dismiss. The second-year big has brought energy, rim pressure and a steady stream of production in limited time.
Against Cleveland, he shot a perfect 6-for-6, finished with 12 points, grabbed seven rebounds and added two blocks in 17 minutes. He kept it rolling against Golden State, going 3-for-3 from the floor for seven points and nine rebounds.
Those numbers don’t scream breakout star, but they do speak to fit. Minnesota doesn’t need Beringer to be a featured scorer.
He runs the floor, crashes the glass and gives the team another athletic body around the rim. With Edwards out, those small plays carry more weight.
Gobert’s recent offensive line has made the conversation tougher to avoid. He went scoreless against Cleveland on nine shot attempts and followed that with one point against Golden State.
That’s a problem for a team already missing its top offensive threat. Nobody is asking him to create offense on his own, but Minnesota does need him to cash in the chances that come his way.
That’s why Beringer’s rise matters. Finch doesn’t have to blow up the starting lineup to make an adjustment, but there’s a real case for stretching Beringer’s minutes, especially when the offense goes flat. The Warriors game showed exactly why: he can give Minnesota a lift without needing the ball called for him.
There will be nights when Gobert’s experience and defense make him the better option. Beringer is 19, and the growing pains that come with that are part of the deal. Still, that shouldn’t guarantee Gobert the heavier load no matter how he’s playing.
Minnesota is trying to hold things together without Edwards, and that means the Wolves can’t keep leaning on the same center rotation if the results aren’t there. Beringer has done enough to push this into serious territory. If he keeps producing like this, a more even split at center should be on the table.
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Cody Williams is the tougher call in that same group, and it leaves him in a more fragile spot heading into the rest of his contract. His struggles have made the price of keeping him around harder to justify for a team watching every dollar, and the next stretch will determine whether he can stabilize his value before the front office has to make another decision on his future. [Read more 🡒]
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Timberwolves' Hot Start Comes With One Problem They Can't Ignore
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Rudy Gobert still anchors the defense, and that matters plenty for a team trying to stay near the top of the West. The concern is on the other end, where his limited touch around the rim has become harder to overlook, especially with Minnesota already adjusting to life without its leading scorer and trying to keep the offense from losing the edge that made this run possible. [Read more 🡒]