The Brooklyn Nets reportedly added former All-Star forward Julius Randle and moved up five spots in the first round of the draft in a three-team trade involving the Minnesota Timberwolves and Chicago Bulls on Monday, the night before the draft.
According to multiple media outlets, Minnesota dealt Randle and the 28th overall pick in the Tuesday draft to the Nets for the 33rd overall selection.
Brooklyn sent center Nic Claxton to the Chicago Bulls, who in turn shipped forward Mouhamadou Gueye to Minnesota. The Timberwolves reportedly will waive Gueye.
Randle, 31, is due to make $33.3 million in the upcoming season, and he has a player option for $35.8 million for 2027-28.
The three-time All-Star averaged 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists last season. In a 12-year NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers (2014-15 to 2017-18), the New Orleans Pelicans (2018-19), the New York Knicks (2019-20 to 2023-24) and Minnesota (2024-25 to 2025-26), he has averaged 19.2 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists.
Randle was selected the NBA’s most improved player in 2020-21.
Claxton, 27, has spent each of his seven NBA seasons in Brooklyn. He put up 11.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists per contest in 69 games (68 starts) last season. His career norms are 10.6, 7.6 and 2.1, respectively.
He is signed for $23.3 million in 2026-27 and $21.1 million in 2027-28.
Gueye, 27, made his NBA debut in 2023-24 for the Toronto Raptors, appearing in 11 games off the bench. He got into two games as a reserve for Chicago last season. Overall, he has averaged 3.2 points and 2.2 rebounds in 12.7 minutes.
