The Timberwolves have a clear candidate to replace Johnny Juzang’s two-way spot

The Minnesota Timberwolves waiving Johnny Juzang has some ripple effects for the team. Most notably, this makes it extremely likely that the Wolves will look “outside the house” to fill their final roster spot. Another interesting tidbit, however, is that the Wolves have an open two-way spot.

Unlike their open default roster spot, the Wolves have a clear internal candidate for their two-way spot, as G League standout Jules Bernard should fill this spot. The 6-foot-1 wing is averaging 23 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists with Iowa. Bernard previously played in 19 games for the Washington Wizards two seasons ago.

While the Wolves could hypothetically look around the league to fill their two-way spot, having such a good G League player means that decision will likely go Bernard’s way.

Jules Bernard feels ready to earn a two-way contract

Zyon Pullin is another fantastic in-house option to earn a two-way spot. Unfortunately, Pullin has been sidelined since December due to an injury. As such, Bernard seems the clear favorite to earn this spot.

At 26 years old, Bernard is not a player with many advantages. Regardless, rewarding a great G League player with a two-way spot for the rest of the year is a nice gesture.

The UCLA product is truly an all-rounder. Whether it’s three-point shooting, playmaking, finishing, rebounding or defense, Bernard can offer a little bit of everything. These skills give Bernard the opportunity to earn a spot on the NBA roster at some point.

While Bernard plays meaningful NBA minutes this year is out of the question, it could make sense to keep this type of player around, and who knows, maybe he could earn a regular roster spot next year. The Wolves’ wing depth is an area of ​​need, and it makes sense to fill Juzang’s open spot with a player from the same position.

Again, Bernard’s age limits his upside. The counterpoint to that is that Bernard has more off-the-shelf NBA skills than other two-way players. His G League production indicates he is ready for a real NBA opportunity. For me, there’s no harm in giving Bernard a two-way spot, and it’s a move that could potentially pay off next season.

You never know what to expect from Tim Connelly and the Wolves. So they could look across the league to fill this spot. Nevertheless, Bernard feels like a natural candidate to land this open spot given his stellar G League play and connection to the organization.