Timberwolves trade Julius Randle to Nets, sign Ayo Dosunmu to $112 million deal
Minnesota sent Julius Randle and a late first-round pick to Brooklyn in a three-team deal, gaining a second-round pick and clearing cap space to lock up guard Ayo Dosunmu on a five-year contract.
Minnesota agreed to a three-team trade that sends forward Julius Randle and the No. 28 pick in this week’s NBA draft to the Brooklyn Nets. In return, the Timberwolves receive Brooklyn’s No. 33 pick in the second round. Chicago acquires center Nic Claxton, assuming the remaining two years of his four-year, $97 million contract, and sends guard Mouhamadou Gueye to Minnesota; Gueye’s $2.4 million salary is non-guaranteed for the next season. The move creates roughly $33 million in cap space for Minnesota and generates a $33 million trade exception, according to league sources.
The cleared space enables the Timberwolves to finalize a five-year, $112 million contract with guard Ayo Dosunmu, who was acquired from Chicago earlier in the season and posted strong playoff performances, including a 43-point game off the bench. Dosunmu’s new deal is expected to keep him in Minnesota through the 2028-29 season.
Randle, who has two years left on a three-year, $100 million contract with a player option for 2027-28, will join a Nets roster that has missed the playoffs for three consecutive seasons and is looking to add a three-time All-Star to its rebuilding core. The Nets also move up five spots in the draft as part of the transaction.
"The trade frees up significant cap space and gives us flexibility to retain key pieces," a Timberwolves spokesperson said.
"We believe Dosunmu is a vital part of our future and are excited to bring him on board long-term," the team added.
Chicago, with $54 million in cap space, absorbs Claxton’s contract and expects the center to contribute as a defensive presence in its starting lineup.