Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Phoenix Suns
Date: July 16th, 2025
Time: 4:00 PM CDT
Location: Pavilion, Las Vegas, NV
Television Coverage: NBA TV, FanDuel Sports Network North
Let me start by getting the obligatory disclaimer out of the way: Yes, it’s just Summer League. The games are played in front of half-interested scouts, a smattering of team execs, and a few dudes wearing sleeveless hoodies trying to manifest two-way contracts. But here’s the thing: in today’s NBA, where second aprons are deadlier
than Patrick Beverley with a grudge, Summer League actually does matter. Not in a banner-raising way, but in a “can-this-guy-give-us-13-respectable-minutes-in-February-while-someone-rests-a-hamstring” kind of way.
Which brings us to your undefeated, smooth-rolling, 3–0 Las Vegas Summer League Minnesota Timberwolves.
Yes, those Timberwolves. The same ones who sent Karl-Anthony Towns’ max contract to a farm upstate and have already had to say goodbye to Nickeil Alexander-Walker just to keep the second apron at bay. In a league where winning is now financially punished, finding competent rotation players who cost less than your monthly grocery bill is the new meta. It’s Moneyball, but with less Brad Pitt and more cap smoothing.
So when you see Tetrence Shannon Jr. cook the Pistons like he’s back at Illinois getting revenge on Purdue (again), you’re not just watching some 24-year-old bully a bunch of second-rounders. You’re watching hope. You’re watching the dream that a guy taken in the late first round can fill a meaningful role off the bench in 2026 and help this team stay competitive without breaking the bank.
Observation #1: Terence Shannon Jr. Might Already Be Too Good for Summer League
Let’s go to the numbers:
- 24 points vs Detroit
- 3-for-3 from deep
- 6-for-9 overall (nice)
- 9-for-9 from the line
- And a vibe that screamed, “I don’t belong in this building.”
TSJ didn’t just score—he dominated the game within the game. The Pistons couldn’t stay in front of him, couldn’t keep him off the line, and couldn’t stop him from getting buckets in that herky-jerky whistle-fest of a matchup that made the 2006 Heat-Mavs Finals feel like a flow state.
And here’s the thing: Shannon’s not some raw 19-year-old. He’s grown. He’s built. He’s had a full college arc. The Wolves don’t need him to be a superstar—they need him to be functional, fearless, and able to break a scoring drought when the offense grinds to a halt.
Observation #2: Joan Beringer Is Legit
Full transparency: I love shiny new things. And Joan Beringer, the French rookie is the shiny new thing. His game against Detroit wasn’t quite the baguette-and-brie buffet we got earlier in the week—6 rebounds, 2 blocks, too many fouls, and a -2 plus-minus—but he still had moments where you went, “Wait… who is this guy?”
He’s long. He’s rangy. He alters the opponent’s offense. If he ends up being the kind of switchable, rim-protecting, pass-happy big that Tim Connelly thinks he drafted, then flipping KAT for Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and this guy might go down as the front office version of Ocean’s Eleven.
Is Beringer going to save the Wolves this season? No. But is he going to give Chris Finch options? Hell yes. And in a league where having a versatile 6’10” guy on a rookie deal is worth its weight in gold, that matters.
Observation #3: Rob Dillingham—Enigma, Exhibit A
Let me put this in a relatable way: Rob Dillingham is like that high-end blender you bought during a 2 a.m. infomercial binge. You love what it could be. You believe in the upside. But half the time, it’s spraying smoothie on the ceiling and you’re not totally sure where the lid went.
Against Detroit, Dilly had 16 points and 4 assists. On paper, you’re like, “That’s pretty solid!” But then you see he went 7-of-17 from the field and had 4 turnovers, and suddenly you remember Mike Conley’s getting older and there’s no veteran backup on the roster yet. Gulp.
We don’t need Dillingham to become Jalen Brunson overnight. But we do need him to run an offense without needing Dramamine. His handle is tight, the burst is real, and the confidence is unquestioned. Now he just needs to smooth out the decision-making and run the offense competently.
What to Watch Today vs Phoenix
If the Wolves can get another steady performance from Shannon, another “I’m learning” game from Beringer, and a slightly more efficient showing from Dillingham, there’s no reason this squad can’t go 4–0 and start quietly circling the Summer League title.
Is it a real trophy? No. Will the parade route run through Nicollet Mall? Probably not. But in a league where depth wins titles and cap space is gold, winning at Summer League is a small, delicious preview of what’s being cooked behind the scenes.
So yeah—maybe it’s just July basketball in a glorified rec center. But the Wolves are undefeated, the young guys are showing out, and Ant was courtside grinning like a proud big brother.
That’s enough for me.
Let’s keep it rolling.
