Timberwolves 98, Pelicans 91: Minnesota Wins Summer League Opener

The Timberwolves and Pelicans kicked off the NBA 2K26 Vegas Summer League on Thursday afternoon with Joan Berringer and Terrence Shannon Jr. showing out for the Wolves.

The Minnesota Timberwolves and New Orleans Pelicans were the first two teams to take the court for NBA 2K26 NBA Summer League on Thursday afternoon at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. On the Wolves roster are a mix of Summer League veterans, their two draftees from the 2025 NBA Draft, and a mix of guys just looking to find a way onto an NBA team.

After the draft last month, Timberwolves General Manager Matt Lloyd said, “If you look at some of the younger guys, we almost have one guy at every single position now.” Well, those five players were who the Wolves rolled out there to start Summer League

The Wolves won the game by a score of 98-91, taking the lead late in the second quarter and never looking back. There were many standout plays and performances from Minnesota during the game, with some players performing sensationally, while others could have looked better down in Sin City.

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Joan Beringer

Right from the opening play of the game, Joan Beringer’s defensive skills were on full display as he blocked New Orleans’s first two shots of the game. The first was on Yves Missi down in the post, and the second on a drive to the hoop by Jeremiah Fears, where Beringer made a great rotation to swat the ball away.

Those weren’t the only standout plays by the Timberwolves’ first-round pick. Beringer finished the game with an astounding six blocks, showcasing his length, quickness, and ability to read the floor.

Another stat that jumped out for Beringer was that he only committed two fouls. Often young defensive-minded big men have a tendency to commit a ton of fouls, espeically in their first few games. Not Beringer though, who was able to effictively deter opposing players from the paint without fouling.

The flashes from Beringer didn’t just come on the defensive side, as he showed some offensive skill as well. His first basket came on a floater from nine feet away on the left baseline. On the Wolves’ next offensive possession, Terrence Shannon Jr. found Beringer for a lob at the rim.

Beringer finished the game with 11 points on 5-6 shooting, eight rebounds, one assist, two steals, and six blocks. It’s important not to overreact to a single Summer League game, but Beringer’s start to his Timberwolves tenure could not have gotten off to a better start.

Terrence Shannon Jr.

The overarching feeling watching Shannon Jr. play in this game was that he may just be too good for Summer League. TSJ dominated the game in almost every facet, scoring 20 points while also dishing out nine assists, both team-highs.

The highlight play of the game, and one of the final baskets that cemented the win for the Wolves, came late in the fourth quarter when Shannon took the ball coast-to-coast and threw down another monster dunk.

With the departure of Nickeil Alexander-Walker, there is an opening in the Wolves’ rotation for another guard/wing to step up in NAW’s place. That spot was already likely to be filled by Shannon, especially after playing great in a cameo role during last year’s Western Conference Finals. This Summer League performance is yet another indicator that TSJ is ready for a rotation spot next season.

Rob Dillingham

The only slightly concerning performance of the game came from Rob Dillingham, who scored 15 points on 4-14 shooting, including 1-8 from inside the arc, along with seven turnovers.

While seven turnovers is far too many, they didn’t stand out as an overly concerning part of Dillingham’s game. Many of the turnovers came from trying to force the ball to teammates who may not have been able to get in the correct positions on the court, something that is less likely to happen in the regular season.

The two-point shooting, on the other hand, is the more worrying issue. For Dillingham to be successful in the NBA, he is going to need to develop into a threat to score in the paint. At his size, that is going to require making some tough layups up or around bigger defenders. In this game, those were the shots he was not able to convert into made baskets.

It wasn’t all bad from Dillingham, who dished out six assists and made three of his six 3-point shots, including an and-1 pull-up shot coming off a Beringer screen.

With 38-year-old Mike Conley the only other true point guard on the roster, the Timberwolves clearly believe Dillingham is ready for a spot in the rotation and can soak up more of the point guard minutes as Conley’s role naturally declines.

While one Summer League performance should always be taken with a grain of salt, the hope is that Dillingham can take care of the ball better while also finding a larger variety of ways to score in these next few Summer League games.

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Up Next

The Wolves’ next Summer League game is scheduled for late Saturday night, as they take on the Denver Nuggets at 9:00 PM CT. Fans can watch the game airing on NBA TV.

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Highlights