The Brooklyn Nets’ biggest offseason swing is close to crossing the finish line. Their reported trade for Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle is expected to be finalized on July 9, and once that happens, Brooklyn can officially add both Randle and Iowa State forward Joshua Jefferson to the roster.
The holdup isn’t about the deal falling apart. It’s about timing. NBA salary cap analyst Yossi Gozlan explained on X that "The Brooklyn-Chicago-Minnesota-Charlotte four-teamer can't become official for three more days due to the inclusion of Mouhamadou Gueye," and the reason is simple: Gueye "signed his contract on April 9 and becomes trade-eligible starting July 9, the three-month anniversary of the signing."
The structure of the deal has grown as the offseason has moved along. What started as Brooklyn landing Randle and the No. 28 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft from Minnesota later turned into a move that brought in Joshua Jefferson after that pick was used. Minnesota ended up with the No. 33 pick, while the Chicago Bulls received center Nic Claxton from Brooklyn.
The trade also expanded into a four-team arrangement, with the Charlotte Hornets sending guards LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Timberwolves in exchange for forward Naz Reid, one first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps, and three second-round picks. Because so much salary is being moved around, salary cap observers expect the deal to be finalized in that four-team form.
For the Nets, the end result looks like a clean win on paper: Randle as part of the return, Jefferson coming in through the draft-pick maneuver, and the paperwork finally set to clear. Around the league, plenty of people view Brooklyn’s side of the deal as a smart piece of business, especially if the team was able to treat Randle as a salary dump while using a second-round pick to climb into the first round for Jefferson. Now it’s just a matter of the calendar catching up.
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