Wolves' Malik Beasley set to return Saturday after suspension for gun incident

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - For the first time in a month, Wolves guard Malik Beasley is set to return to the court for Minnesota.

Beasley will play Saturday night as the Wolves take on the Rockets for the second half of a back-to-back after missing the last 12 games to suspension.

Beasley was suspended by the NBA in February following his guilty plea in a gun-pointing incident outside his Plymouth home in September.

It's unclear how coach Chris Finch might work Beasley back into the rotation. Beasley, who was signed to a four-year, $60-million contract after his arrest, was averaging heavy minutes prior to the suspension, and adds desperately needed spacing and scoring for the Wolves.

Since he's been gone, and with the absence of D'Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards has shown an increase in production, scoring 23.8 points per game with 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals on 35 minutes per night.

While Edwards has stepped up his game, the Wolves have struggled to plug Beasley's hole in the starting lineup, switching between Josh Okogie, Jake Layman, and most recently rookie Jaden McDaniels as the other starting wing beside Edwards.

McDaniels and second-year man Jaylen Nowell, who has seen a jump in minutes off the bench with Beasley gone, have shown promise but a lack of the consistency Beasley brings to the floor.

The Wolves could look to return to full strength sometime early next month, as D'Angelo Russell nears a return from his knee surgery.