T-wolves trade down twice in quiet 2nd round for Northwest, after getting French big Beringer in 1st

By Canadian Press on June 26, 2025.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves had the first pick in the second round of the NBA draft, fully prepared to field multiple offers for the 31st overall selection.

After keeping their first-rounder at No. 17 for Joan Beringer, the 6-foot-11 shot-blocking project from France, the Timberwolves couldn’t resist the trade calls on Thursday night.

That 31st pick went to the Phoenix Suns in a proposed swap that gave them No. 36, which was then sent to the Los Angeles Lakers in a separate trade agreement that landed them at 45th overall. There, in a spot originally belonging to the Chicago Bulls, the Timberwolves wound up with another international big man, the 7-foot-2 Rocco Zikarsky from Australia.

For a team in win-now mode that has made consecutive Western Conference finals, even Minnesota’s first-rounder was bound to be an exercise in player development, especially with an 18-year-old in Beringer who only began playing basketball at age 14.

But even while draft picks outside of the lottery range rarely make an immediate impact in the NBA these days, the second round has become more valuable under the recently altered luxury tax rules. The Wolves played this season above the second apron with the second-highest payroll in the league, resulting in a stiff tax bill and other transactional limitations, and simply need rostered players who count little against the cap.

“The team-building rules are restricted a little bit,” general manager Matt Lloyd said late Wednesday after Beringer was drafted. “We have to get our draft picks right, and then we have to be a part of player development.”

That’s where 2024 draft picks Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon were focused this season, rarely cracking coach Chris Finch’s eight-man rotation. But Shannon showed enough improvement and value on both ends of the floor that he began to get meaningful minutes during the playoffs.

Beringer will be in that same mode next season, when the Wolves will lean on center Rudy Gobert, a fellow Frenchman, to ease him into the NBA and provide an ideal example of how to effectively protect the paint.

After arranging a private workout with Beringer last weekend, the Wolves were sold on his character, potential and skills enough to stick at No. 17 to pick him.

“He’s like a ball of clay. He was the third-youngest player in the draft. He plays an incredibly vital role in the league right now. His basket-protection is incredible,” Lloyd said. “What really kind of helped us solidify the final evaluation is just getting to meet him. He’s a very serious person. He’s very dedicated. He’s very focused. He learned English in the last seven months.”

After building an NBA championship team with a commitment to young player development, the Oklahoma City Thunder dived back into the draft pool a few days after the celebration.

The Thunder used the 15th overall pick in the first round on Thomas Sorber, a 6-foot-9 versatile defender with the potential to be an effective low-post scorer who played one season in college at Georgetown. Sorber can provide some bulk and depth behind the slender Chet Holmgren and his frontcourt partner, Isaiah Hartenstein.

General manager Sam Presti’s trades in recent years have allowed the Thunder to stockpile picks for maximum control over the most unpredictable aspect of professional sports. They have as many as 10 first-round picks, including their own, over the next five years, including three in 2026. Last year’s first-rounder, point guard Nikola Topic, is nearly recovered from a torn ACL in his left knee that kept him out for his entire rookie season.

In the second round on Thursday, the Thunder at No. 44 took Northwestern wing Brooks Barnhizer.

The Utah Jazz, who bottomed out this season with the worst record in the league, have a long way to go with their rebuild. After bad lottery luck left them with the fifth overall pick, they took wing Ace Bailey, who spent his only college season at Rutgers and, according to multiple reports, declined private workouts with several teams.

Bailey dismissed questions about any potential disinterest in going to Utah.

“Just a blessing. The little kid in me is smiling hard right now, because I know the hard work, the sacrifice, the blood, the sweat, the tears not just for me but my family put into this,” Bailey said. “The little kid in me is just smiling at me right now.”

The Jazz later moved up to 18th to net point guard Walter Clayton Jr. from national champion Florida, a 22-year-old whose ball skills and clutch shooting were on full display throughout the NCAA Tournament.

Utah also had the 53rd overall pick on Thursday.

The Portland Trail Blazers moved down from 11th to 16th on Wednesday that landed them another big man, the 7-foot-2 Yang Hansen. They didn’t have a second-rounder.

With a young group led by Deni Avdija, Toumani Camara, Shaedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson and Donovan Clingan, the Blazers finished a better-than-expected 36-46 this season. They recently acquired two-time All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday from Boston for Anfernee Simons.

Utah Jazz

Needs: Dominant scorer, ball-handling guard.

Drafted: Ace Bailey, wing, Rutgers. Walter Clayton Jr., point guard, Florida. Bailey can shoot from anywhere on the court and should give the Jazz some future scoring punch. Clayton ought to be better-suited to immediately contribute after a standout four-year college career that included a run to this year’s NCAA championship.

Current NBA player comparisons: Paul George (Bailey), Coby White (Clayton).

Oklahoma City Thunder

Needs: Frontcourt player with bulk, 3-point shooting wing.

Drafted: Thomas Sorber, power forward, Georgetown. Brooks Barnhizer, wing, Northwestern. Sorber’s 6-foot-9, 263-pound frame filled a need for a bigger body as a backup to Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. Sorber’s natural strength and long arms make him an effective rebounder and shot-blocker who can also finish at the rim with the ball. Barnhizer was the first player drafted out of Northwestern since Evan Eschmeyer in 1999.

Current NBA player comparison: Kevon Looney.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Needs: Pass-first point guard, center with scoring touch.

Drafted: Joan Beringer, power forward, France. Rocco Zikarsky, center, Australia. The 6-foot-11 Beringer just picked up the game four years ago after switching from soccer and will have an ideal mentor in Rudy Gobert.

Current NBA player comparison: Jaxson Hayes.

Portland Trail Blazers

Needs: 3-point shooter, perimeter depth.

Drafted: Yang Hansen, center, China. Somewhat of a surprise at No. 16 overall for a team that already has plenty of size, the 19-year-old Hansen at 7-foot-1 led the Chinese Basketball Association in blocks.

Current NBA player comparison: Zach Edey.

Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets didn’t have a pick in this draft, with their first-rounder owed to Orlando as part of the 2021 trade for Aaron Gordon.

The Nuggets, who recently reorganized their front office, could use more depth around superstar Nikola Jokic, point guard Jamal Murray and the postseason hero Gordon. They’re counting on a contribution this season from DaRon Holmes, their 2024 first-rounder who missed his rookie year following Achilles tendon surgery.

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AP Sports Writers Cliff Brunt in Oklahoma City and Anne M. Peterson in Portland, Oregon, contributed.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Dave Campbell, The Associated Press