MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – MARCH 17: Julius Randle #30 of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on after the game against the Phoenix Suns at Target Center on March 17, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Suns 116-104. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)

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Rowan Fisher-Shotton

By Rowan Fisher-Shotton

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The Minnesota Timberwolves just made their first move of the offseason, and it probably won't be their last.

Minnesota sent Julius Randle and the No. 28 pick in Tuesday's NBA Draft to the Brooklyn Nets as part of a three-team deal, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. The Chicago Bulls will receive Nic Claxton from Brooklyn, while the Timberwolves pick up Brooklyn's No. 33 pick in return.

On the surface, that's a lopsided return. Minnesota just gave up a three-time All-Star and their second-leading scorer, along with a first-round pick, to move down five spots into the second round. So why do it? Randle carried a $33.3 million cap hit next season, with a player option for 2027-28 that would have jumped to $35.8 million annually. In other words, the Timberwolves just freed up serious money.

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That flexibility gives them room to pour into extensions for key players like Ayo Dosunmu and Mike Conley, both set to become unrestricted free agents ... or it could be a sign that something much bigger is coming.

And with the 2026 NBA Draft just hours away, the timing couldn't be more interesting.

More news: Jaylen Brown Told on Himself, Says Stephen A. Smith — and That’s Why He’s Gone

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MARCH 17: Julius Randle #30 of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on after the game against the Phoenix Suns at Target Center on March 17, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Suns 116-104. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)

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Five years. Five disappointing playoff exits. Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves fell in the second round this postseason, run out of the gym by Victor Wembanyama and a San Antonio team that exposed every hole in Minnesota's roster.

Meanwhile, Karl-Anthony Towns, the Timberwolves' former franchise star they traded away two years ago for Randle, just won an NBA championship with the New York Knicks, defeating Wemby's Spurs.

Minnesota has made it clear this is a make-or-move summer, and the targets are as big as it gets.

According to The Athletic's Sam Amick and Eric Nehm, Timberwolves president Tim Connelly has aggressively tried to land multiple superstars over the last year, including Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Ja Morant, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

While they have yet to make any big splashes, shedding this much salary could be a sign of more to come on draft night or once free agency tips off.

The Timberwolves didn't trade Randle just to get the 33rd pick. They traded him to buy themselves a seat at the table. The real question is, who might it be for?

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