With the Timberwolves sitting on almost nothing in the way of draft assets, the young talent already in the building matters more than ever. Minnesota does not have a tradable first-round pick, and its lone second-rounder is top-50 protected, which leaves the roster itself as the team’s best source of future value.
That makes the Wolves’ collection of young players worth sorting through now, because some are likely to help right away, some are longer-term bets, and a few may end up carving out real roles if the right openings appear.
At the bottom of the outlook pile is Enrique Freeman, who is entering his second season on a two-way contract with Minnesota. He logged just 37 total minutes over four games last season, though he did put together a strong G-League showing for Iowa with 17.6 points and 8.9 rebounds across 28 games.
Freeman’s best argument is simple: he has size, and the Wolves do not have a traditional power forward on the roster. If injuries hit the frontcourt, he could get a look.
Outside of that, the upside has been limited.
Zyon Pullin brings a very different résumé. He was excellent for the G League Wolves last season, averaging 27.8 points and 6.7 assists per game, then turned that into a two-way contract in March.
He carried that momentum into Summer League and led Minnesota with 21.0 points and 7.8 assists per game. Of the three Wolves currently on two-way deals, Pullin looks most likely to see NBA minutes this season.
Still, the 25-year-old is viewed as having a relatively modest ceiling, and at six-foot-four he will need to keep adding to his game if he wants it to translate against NBA speed and length.
Rocco Zikarsky arrived as the 45th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and Minnesota knew exactly what it was getting: a seven-foot-three project with real physical tools and a lot of development ahead. He spent most of last season in Iowa, where he averaged 15.8 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game.
His second Summer League was uneven, ending at 12.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. The upside is obvious because of his size, but this season will say plenty about how close he is to becoming rotation-ready.
He still has to improve his strength, rebounding, lateral quickness on defense, and a three-point shot that went in just 25.6 percent of the time last season.
Isaiah Evans was the player Minnesota was thrilled to land at No. 33 overall after he slid from Duke. The Wolves saw one of the draft’s best pure shooters and believe they can keep building on that skill while developing his defense.
His summer, though, came with a wrinkle. The pick used on him came through the trade that sent Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets, then got folded into the LaMelo Ball deal.
Because the trade had not been finalized, Evans could not practice with the team until later, and that showed in Summer League, where he shot 27.3 percent from the field. Even so, Minnesota remains high on him, and the short turnaround means that performance can mostly be set aside.
Jaylen Clark may not have the loudest ceiling in the group, but he might already have the most usable NBA skill. He is one of Minnesota’s best perimeter defenders and played 13.1 minutes per game across 68 games in a solid 2025-26 season.
He also signed a three-year, $10 million contract this offseason and should get a fair share of minutes again with Donte DiVincenzo expected to miss significant time. The next step for Clark is clear: cut down on fouls and make the three-ball more dependable.
He committed 3.5 fouls per 36 minutes and shot 32.7 last season, both numbers that need to climb in the right direction if his role is going to grow.
Terrence Shannon Jr. has already shown he can swing playoff games. After a mostly quiet, injury-riddled regular season, he was excellent for Minnesota in the playoffs, including a 24-point outing in Game 6 against the Denver Nuggets to close the series.
He also had multiple double-digit scoring games as a rookie in the Western Conference Finals against the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder. The question now is consistency.
The Timberwolves know he can rise to the moment; the next step is doing it more often in the regular season and being effective whether he is handling the ball or working off it.
And at the top of the list sits Joan Beringer, who arrives with expectations already running hot. He is set to become a permanent part of the rotation as Rudy Gobert’s backup at center, a job that should put him on the floor for 15-20 minutes a night.
Minnesota has been effusive about him, praising his defense, athleticism, and the offensive growth that has gone beyond simple lob finishes. At 20, he is still raw, but the Wolves clearly believe he has starting-caliber upside, maybe more.
If he can keep his defensive edge, clean up the fouls, and keep expanding his offense, this could be a breakout season.
In Other News...
Timberwolves Fans Have Every Reason To Watch Denver's Jokic Drama
Nikola Jokics contract situation has become one of the more closely watched subplots in the West, and Minnesota has a clear reason to keep an eye on it. The Nuggets star holds a player option after this season, and after passing on extension talks for two straight summers, his future has become a fresh topic of conversation as Denver continues to navigate an offseason that already drew scrutiny for its roster decisions.
A recent Bleacher Report live stream added another layer by suggesting Jokic could be headed toward free agency next summer, a scenario that would send shockwaves through Denver and across the conference. For the Timberwolves, the intrigue is obvious: any real uncertainty around Jokic changes the balance of power in a rivalry that has grown increasingly relevant, even if the idea of him leaving remains only speculation for now. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Still Have One Way To Sell Kuminga On Minnesota
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Minnesota has one clear selling point: a path to minutes at power forward, in a frontcourt that can use another athletic, versatile piece. For a player weighing future earnings as much as the present fit, that kind of opening matters, even if the Lakers have been viewed as the more attractive landing spot. The Timberwolves still have a case to make, and the real question is whether that role is enough to keep the door open. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathan Kuminga's Wolves Choice Changes More Than Just The Rotation
Jonathan Kumingas choice gives the Timberwolves something they have been chasing all summer: another athletic, versatile forward who can fit into the competitive side of the Western Conference race without forcing the roster to be remade around him. Minnesota made a real pitch here, too, with team president Tim Connelly, coach Chris Finch and Anthony Edwards all involved in the recruiting effort, and the lure was clear enough to matter. The Wolves sold Kuminga on a starting role and the taxpayer mid-level exception, a sign they viewed him as more than just depth.
What makes the move more interesting is the flexibility it preserves on both sides. Kuminga wanted a path that left his next decision open, and Minnesota will now get to see how that plays out if he settles in quickly and becomes part of the teams core rotation. For a club trying to keep its window open, that matters beyond the first lineup card, because this is the kind of signing that can influence not just how the Wolves play now, but how they build around Edwards and company going forward. [Read more 🡒]