Nets-Wolves trade grades: Julius Randle deal shakes up Minnesota’s core
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Julius Randle is set to make $33.4 million next season. Matthew Stockman / Getty Images
By Zach HarperJune 22, 2026 Updated June 23, 2026 8:29 am EDTA lot of people have wondered whether the Minnesota Timberwolves would continue spending under the new ownership of Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore, and whether a numbers crunch would exist if they try to re-sign free agent Ayo Dosunmu this summer.
Well, Minnesota is making a trade to help alleviate some of that cap dilemma. In a three-team deal, the Wolves agreed to trade Julius Randle and the 28th pick in this year’s NBA Draft to the Brooklyn Nets, with the Timberwolves receiving the 33rd pick in this draft and forward Mo Gueye, and the Chicago Bulls bringing Nic Claxton into their cap space. ESPN first reported the trade.
Is this just a salary dump, or is there a method to the madness for the Wolves? Did the Bulls alter their draft plans by bringing in Claxton? Are the Nets going to utilize Michael Porter Jr. and Randle together? Let’s bust out the red ink and slap some grades on this deal.
Minnesota Timberwolves acquire 33rd pick, Mo Gueye
This is a necessary evil of the apron era, with teams terrified of going into the first- and second-apron payroll thresholds to retain their rosters.
Gueye is on a non-guaranteed deal and will probably be waived once the trade goes through, so this is all about the numbers crunch the Wolves found themselves in, with Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid making a combined $134.8 million next season. Randle, who turns 32 in November, makes $33.3 million next season and would push them well past the projected salary cap ($165 million) and much closer to the projected aprons ($209 million for first, $222 million for second). That doesn’t even include filling out the depth chart and someone like Donte DiVincenzo ($12.5 million) being on the roster but likely missing the season with his Achilles tear.
The Wolves want to find minutes for their young depth. They have Naz Reid to play more minutes at power forward while stretching the floor, and they need to re-sign Dosunmu, their major acquisition at the trade deadline. All of this pointed toward a salary dump to move off Randle’s deal ($35.8 million player option for the 2027-28 season, too) and put themselves in a better financial position to maintain the heart of their roster. With Randle’s poor performance in the playoffs, this decision became a lot easier. It cost the Wolves the 28th pick in a deep draft, but being able to still pick at No. 33 should land them a player of similar quality. They just have to make sure this Dosunmu contract doesn’t make them do this again — more salary dumps — a year or two from now.
Grade: C+
Brooklyn Nets acquire Julius Randle, 28th pick
Brooklyn is not exactly a hot spot for free-agent signings right now, so being able to acquire exiled salary while picking up another first-round pick seems like a good move by the front office. Randle and Porter will be an interesting pairing if the Nets roll into next season with them as their forwards. Neither is particularly inspiring as a top option, and we have no idea if Randle will try to fit in with the Nets the way he tried to fit in with the Wolves the last two years. Randle will either become a free agent in 2027 or pick up his option and turn into a potentially valuable/intriguing expiring contract for a contender to roll the dice on.
All of this to move up five spots in this draft suggests there is someone the Nets value in the first round whom they don’t believe makes it to Wednesday night’s second round. Considering how poorly they did with their five first-round picks a year ago, I don’t know if you trust them to make that decision, although this is supposed to be a safer and deeper draft in the back end of the first round compared to what they had to choose from last June. This move is more about what they do with Randle in the future.
Grade: B
Chicago Bulls acquire Nic Claxton
Brilliant pickup. The Bulls had a massive hole with their center position after moving Nikola Vučević to Boston at the trade deadline. Chicago was restarting its rebuilding efforts and looking to find a much more cohesive, younger roster moving forward. Bringing in Claxton and not giving up anything of note is incredible.
Claxton, 27, is on one of the best contracts for big men in the NBA. He makes $23.3 million this upcoming season and $21 million in 2027-28. He’s a great lob threat at the rim, a good defender and can rebound. The Bulls were not going to find a better free agent for that money this offseason. Now they can concentrate on filling out their roster with the fourth and 15th picks in this draft and won’t have to use either of them to bring in a center. This is a great start for this new front office.
Grade: A
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Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
