When Joan Beringer made his NBA Summer League debut last summer, he did so with a splash. The Timberwolves center had two blocked shots on his first defensive possession.
He had six blocks in all, and that game showcased why the Wolves were excited to take him in last year’s draft as the potential center of the future.
But here’s the catch for Beringer this Summer League, which starts Thursday in Las Vegas; he won’t be playing just center. The Wolves are having him play some at the power forward position alongside fellow big man Rocco Zikarsky at center.
The two 2025 draft picks are still only 19.
“I never played the ‘four’ before in my life, so it’s a big change,” Beringer said. “But I feel good about [playing the four] and playing with Rocco, so I’m very excited.”
One glance at the Wolves offseason shows why the team may want to see what Beringer can do at that position. Barring a trade, the Wolves are likely to go into next season without a more traditional starting power forward.
Jaden McDaniels, who typically as played small forward, is the likely starting power forward alongside a guard heavy lineup of Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Ayo Dosunmu and Rudy Gobert at center.
The Wolves are likely to fill out the roster with depth at power forward — they continue to hold out hope LeBron James may choose them as his next destination — but assuming that long shot doesn’t cash in, the Wolves will be working to fill that position through next season, probably through the February trade deadline.
In the meantime, they will be searching for viable options at that position, including seeing how Beringer could fit in there.
“It starts with guarding,” Wolves summer league head coach Nathan Bubes said. “What can you guard, what position can you guard? Being able to guard fours, switch onto ball handlers, and then the offensive piece, you can always kind of figure it out.”
When asked what the trickiest part about playing the four was, Beringer replied defense, which will require him to play more on the perimeter and guard smaller players. At the end of Tuesday’s practice, Beringer spent time with assistant coaches navigating screens beyond the three-point line.
“I switch more and it’s a lot different,” Beringer said.
Part of this transition also includes sharing the floor with last year’s second-rounder Zikarsky, a 7-foot-3 center who can spread the floor with his shooting ability. That’s different from Gobert, who isn’t a floor-spacing shooting threat.
“Joan is so great at attacking downhill and getting to the rim. It’s going to be a lot of spacing and maybe a chance for a couple of short roll lobs to him as well,” Zikarsky said. “Then on the defensive end, just locking down as well, not many summer league teams are going to roll out two seven footers in the startling lineup.”
The ability to handle the ball and get downhill has impressed Zikarsky in how Beringer has progressed from last season to this one.
“His ability to put them ball on the floor in the open court, he’s dribbling form halfcourt, taking guys off the perimeter now, I didn’t see that in his rookie season,” Zikarsky said. “His footwork around the rim and his body, he’s just gotten stronger.”
After Beringer showed flashes during the NBA season, Wolves fans will get to see just how far has has progressed starting with Thursday’s Summer League opener … and if there is a chance for him to be more than a center.
Timberwolves’ preliminary game schedule
Thursday, vs. New Orleans, 2:30 p.m. (Prime Video)
Saturday, vs. Denver, 6:30 p.m. (Prime Video)
Monday, vs. Portland, 10 p.m. (ESPN2)
Wednesday, vs. Indiana, 2:30 p.m. (Prime Video)