Julius Randle is returning to New York in a three-team trade that sends the three-time All-Star forward from Minnesota to the Brooklyn Nets, moves veteran center Nic Claxton to the Chicago Bulls, and unlocks the financial flexibility the Timberwolves needed to secure a long-term commitment from one of their most important players.
Randle and Minnesota’s 28th pick in Tuesday’s NBA draft will go to Brooklyn. The Nets will send their 33rd pick to Minnesota. Chicago’s portion of the deal includes a forward moving to the Timberwolves. The financial structure is central to the trade’s logic, with Randle’s $33.3 million salary for next season moving onto Brooklyn’s books and Claxton’s $23.3 million contract transferring to Chicago, two teams that entered the offseason with significant cap space available.
What Minnesota gains
The Timberwolves are the team whose offseason strategy this deal most clearly serves. By moving Randle, Minnesota created the room necessary to sign guard Ayo Dosunmu to a five-year, $112 million contract, locking in a player who became an integral part of their rotation after arriving at the trade deadline in February.
Dosunmu, 26, demonstrated his value immediately after joining the Wolves, averaging close to 20 points on highly efficient shooting percentages and contributing across all phases of the game during the postseason even as the team navigated a first-round series with their best player managing a significant knee injury. His performance in those circumstances made his retention a priority, and the Randle deal created the mechanism to make it happen.
Minnesota also retains meaningful financial exceptions following the deal, giving the front office tools to address additional roster needs in free agency beyond the Dosunmu commitment.
Julius Randle’s return to New York
For Randle, the move represents a return to the city where he spent five seasons with the Knicks before being traded to Minnesota in the deal that brought Karl-Anthony Towns to New York in October 2024. His time with the Timberwolves included contributions to three playoff series victories, though his performance in Minnesota’s second-round loss to the San Antonio Spurs last month was disappointing, with his shooting percentages dropping sharply over six games against a team that reached the NBA Finals.
His regular season was a different story. Randle was one of just ten players in the entire league to average at least 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists while appearing in at least 79 games, placing him among the most complete statistical contributors at his position. At 31, he brings established All-Star level production to a Brooklyn organization that has been rebuilding and is looking for veteran leadership to pair with its developing roster.
Claxton heads to Chicago’s youth movement
Nic Claxton’s move to Chicago closes out his time with the only NBA franchise he has known since being selected in the second round in 2019. The 6-foot-11 center averaged strong shooting percentages and nearly seven rebounds per game last season while setting career marks in assists and ball touches. His production made him one of the better centers in Brooklyn during a difficult rebuilding period for the organization.
In Chicago, Claxton joins a team that has been accumulating young talent and using its cap flexibility to add players who fit their long-term plans. His shot-blocking and rim protection capabilities address a genuine need for the Bulls, and at 27 he fits the age profile of a team building toward competitiveness without rushing the timeline.
The deal involving Chicago’s cap space cannot be officially finalized until July 6.
