Timberwolves' Bench Matchups Are the Great Unknown This Season

The Timberwolves will have an athletic starting five that should be excellent in running the floor, but the bench is where matchup questions percolate.

Joan Beringer will be a key piece off the bench for the Wolves in relief of Rudy Gobert | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Minnesota Timberwolves had a giant hole in their starting five. Until they didn't.

With the late-summer addition of Jonathan Kuminga, there aren't a lot of matchups on paper that the Wolves first unit won't be able to handle this coming season. But with every team, there are weaknesses that are due to be exposed.

Many arguments can and have been made about the possible lack of rebounding that could plague them against teams that run a double-big lineup. To that, a counter could be the pace and athleticism that head coach Chris Finch wants them to play with. As the Indiana Pacers have shown us, speed and precision are major blows that can be dealt to teams who have a height advantage.

But if there's a matchup area in which Minnesota could find itself a little bit exposed, it would be the group off the bench, where their strengths overlap and what sits behind them.

Joan Beringer was very intriguing on a per-minute basis last season...

Lot of rawness, but the talent is very apparent. Runs the floor like a gazelle at 7ft, 7'5 wing, 235lb. Has highly intriguing defensive recovery abilities. Dunks the ball. Big fan. pic.twitter.com/Shp0z6V1pN

— Basketball University (@UofBasketball) July 1, 2026

Timberwolves' overall bench is a bit shrouded in terms of lineups

As long as Rudy Gobert is on the floor, an elite defensive team will be too. But what happens when he's off? Joan Beringer projects to be a good option with loads of athleticism, but has had major issues in defending without fouling. He averaged over five fouls per 36 minutes last year, a decisive lead on the roster.

Behind Beringer, Finch's options for bigs are limited. If teams decide to attack the rim, and Beringer has not made the necessary strides, an issue in the frontcourt opens up. Especially against teams that live to draw fouls like the Los Angeles Lakers with Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic, the course of a season or playoff series could prove to be a puzzle.

The second unit is wildly capable of handling the ball and directing traffic. Against athletic teams that like to switch, it could prove to be to a fault. Terrence Shannon Jr. is most effective with the ball in his hands; Finch said as much during a playoff surge from Shannon that saw the former Illinois guard calling the shots on the floor.

Terrence Shannon Jr.

A playoff career-high in his 1st playoff start...

35 MIN* | 24 PTS* | 6 RBS* | 2 STLS* | 45% FG | +7

*career-high

And coming up big in the clutch... pic.twitter.com/JLw88tIMAz

— Alan Horton (@WolvesRadio) May 1, 2026

But Ayo Dosunmu is coming off the bench, along with his twin turbo in Bones Hyland. While Dosunmu is a combo guard comfortable on and off the ball, Hyland tends to lean as more of an on-ball guard. How will that work with a player like Shannon, who is a completely different player when ball dominant? Against teams that boat athleticism and are switch heavy, that could become a problem.

Bigger teams will inevitably have their nights against the Wolves this season. But counter punches with athleticism and pace exist, especially with the starting five. But the layer below throws a new math problem at Chris Finch, and getting the second unit playing consistently and in spot starts for injury situations may be the difference in regular season vs. playoff success.

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