The Minnesota Timberwolves restructured their roster by trading forward Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets on Monday, June 22, 2026, clearing substantial salary cap space.
This three-team transaction also involved the Chicago Bulls, according to a report by Shams Charania of ESPN.
Minnesota packaged Randle and the No. 28 overall pick to Brooklyn in exchange for the No. 33 pick.
The move unloads Randle's contract, which owes him over $33 million for the 2026-27 season.
This trade marks a major shift for Minnesota, who originally acquired Randle from the New York Knicks.
That previous trade involved parting with Karl-Anthony Towns, who subsequently led the Knicks to an NBA championship.
The salary dump allows the Timberwolves to prioritize re-signing pending free agent guard Ayo Dosunmu.
Minnesota originally acquired Dosunmu from the Chicago Bulls via a midseason trade before his breakout postseason performance.
Dosunmu stepped up as a vital scorer, averaging a career playoff-high 25 points in Game 3 against the Denver Nuggets.
He later scored 43 points off the bench in Game 4 after injuries to Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo.
Conversely, Randle's regular-season average of 21.1 points and 6.7 rebounds declined during the postseason.
He averaged 16 points and 7.5 rebounds on 39 percent shooting across 12 playoff games against Denver and San Antonio.
His offensive efficiency became a notable liability against the Victor Wembanyama-led San Antonio defense.
The Spurs ultimately eliminated the Timberwolves in a six-game second-round series, prompting Minnesota to adjust its roster configuration.
The multi-team deal also sends center Nic Claxton to the Chicago Bulls, who absorb the remaining two years of his four-year, $97 million contract.
Chicago did not give up any assets to acquire Claxton, as reported by ESPN.
Claxton averaged 11.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in 69 games this past season.
The 27-year-old center previously finished ninth in the Defensive Player of the Year voting during the 2022-23 NBA season.
Following the trade, the Brooklyn Nets now control two first-round draft selections, holding the No. 6 and No. 28 picks.
Meanwhile, the Timberwolves enter Tuesday's draft possessing the newly acquired second-round pick from Brooklyn.
