Dec 15, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) looks to get past San Antonio Spurs forwards Julian Champagnie (30) and Jeremy Sochan (10) in the second half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
No, it’s not the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade. Instead, the Brooklyn Nets pulled off one of the more surprising moves on the eve of the NBA Draft, acquiring Julius Randle and the No. 28 pick in a three-team deal involving the Minnesota Timberwolves and Chicago Bulls.
In the package, Brooklyn also received the No. 28 pick in Wednesday night’s draft, while sending away starting center Nic Claxton to the Bulls, and the No. 33 pick to the Wolves. The Timberwolves worked diligently to free up significant salary with the two remaining years on Randle’s contract, giving them more flexibility to retain Ayo Dosunmu. For the Bulls, they earn the consolation prize of Claxton, whom they basically acquired for nothing, gaining a top-tier rebounding center who played in 69 games for the Nets last season, averaging 11 points and 7 rebounds.
For the Nets, they add an experienced veteran in Randle, who joins Michael Porter Jr to round out their forward room. In the draft, Brooklyn has been rumored to select one of the top guard options available at No. 6, such as Darius Acuff, Mikel Brown Jr, Keaton Wagler, or Kingston Flemings. With Claxton on the way out, the Nets can now use their No. 28 pick to retool their center room and create a strong frontcourt.
This season, Randle played in 79 games — averaging 21.1 points along with six rebounds and five assists, shooting 48% from the field. The 31-year-old has experience playing basketball in New York, including for the Knicks from 2019 to 2024, and being part of the Karl-Anthony Towns trade.
There is a world where Randle isn’t on the Brooklyn roster for long, especially with the Nets in rebuild mode. Randle has a $35.8 million player option for 2027-28, making him a valuable, high-salary trade chip they can flip down the line for even more future picks — or they can hang on to the former All-Star to pair with their future game-changing rookie looking to bring a new wave of success to the other side of New York.
For more on Julius Randle and the Nets, visit AMNY.com