The Brooklyn Nets are still sitting on a meaningful chunk of cap space, and that has created a bit of a holding pattern around the Julius Randle deal.
Brooklyn reportedly acquired Randle and the No. 28 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft from the Minnesota Timberwolves, but the trade is still pending, so neither Randle nor Iowa State’s Joshua Jefferson has officially landed on the roster yet. That delay appears to be tied not just to paperwork, but to how the Nets want to use their remaining financial flexibility.
“Brooklyn does still possess the cap space to furnish Watson with an offer sheet in his desired salary range, but I'm told that the Nets have been internally assessing how to utilize their available spending power before officially completing their multi-team trade,” NBA insider Jake Fischer wrote on the Nets for The Stein Line. Brooklyn is one of the few teams positioned to make Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson the kind of offer he is seeking in restricted free agency.
How aggressive the Nets get there will come down to price. Watson is coming off a breakout season, and the question is whether Brooklyn is willing to pay what it takes to bring him in.
NBA salary cap expert Yossi Gozlan reported on July 6 that the Nets had nearly $25 million in cap space after signing center Day'Ron Sharpe, forward Josh Minott, and guard Keon Ellis. Watson, according to the reporting, is aiming for a deal that would average $25 million per year.
“They could spend it, then go over the cap to sign Moe Wagner (room mid-level) and trade for Julius Randle (expanded TPE),” Gozlan wrote on X explaining the options that Brooklyn had at that point. “That amount will be reduced if they do any of those two transactions first. They won't have much time to use it, since they probably can't hold up the four-team Nets-Hornets-Wolves-Bulls trade for too long.”
For now, Watson stands out as one of the best realistic free-agent targets left for Brooklyn, alongside Los Angeles Clippers guard Bennedict Mathurin and Atlanta Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga. The Nets still have pending transactions involving Randle and Orlando Magic center Mo Wagner, but the bigger picture is clear: they’re trying to squeeze as much value as possible out of their cap space before locking everything in.
In Other News...
Nets Head Into Vegas Still Waiting For Their Full Rookie Picture
Brooklyns Summer League group heads to Las Vegas with a little momentum and a little mystery. After going 2-1 in Sacramento, the Nets get their NBA 2K26 Summer League slate started against the Knicks, a familiar East Coast opponent that should give the team another useful measuring stick as it keeps sorting out its young roster and building chemistry.
The bigger storyline for Brooklyn is still the rookie picture, which has yet to come fully into focus. Danny Wolf missed all three California Classic games with lower back soreness but is nearing a return, and Joshua Jefferson is also in line to potentially join the mix as the Nets open play in Vegas, giving the team a chance to see more of the pieces it hopes to develop over the next stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Suddenly Have A Different Kind Of Pressure Next Season
Brooklyns next season comes with a different kind of pressure, one that has less to do with the standings in the moment and more to do with how the organization wants to define itself. With the NBAs new lottery system in play, the Nets are staring at a decision point that could shape the way they handle the year from start to finish, especially if the roster spends much of the season on the fringe of the East race.
The real question is whether Brooklyn leans into a push for the play-in tournament or uses the year to prioritize development if the results start to slip. That kind of flexibility can change everything in the back half of the schedule, from how the team handles veterans dealing with nagging injuries to how many chances the younger players get against opponents still fighting for something meaningful. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Interest Puts Nets Decision On Former Wing Under Spotlight
The Nets decision to let Ziaire Williams hit unrestricted free agency is suddenly looking more notable with the Lakers circling for another perimeter defender. Los Angeles has already made some offseason moves, including adding Kevon Looney, and is still trying to shore up its wing depth with players who can give it more defensive flexibility on the outside.
According to Lakers insider Khobi Price, Williams is among the names under consideration, which puts Brooklyns call on his team option back in the spotlight. The Lakers are also pursuing Jonathan Kuminga, though cap space may force them to choose one path over the other, leaving Williams as a realistic fallback if the bigger swing becomes too expensive. [Read more 🡒]