The Minnesota Timberwolves traded down before the 2026 NBA Draft, exiting the first round entirely in a pick swap with the Brooklyn Nets. In return, the Nets took on the contract of Julius Randle.
On its surface, the three-way trade (the Nets also sent center Nic Claxton to the Chicago Bulls) appeared to be a victory for all three teams involved. The Bulls got a center for free, while the Nets got a better draft pick and a prolific scorer and playmaker in Randle.
The Timberwolves paid to move off of Julius Randle
For the Timberwolves, the deal cleared all of Randle's $33.3 million off of their books, opening up all manner of possibilities moving forward. That move came at a high cost, of course, as Randle is a talented offensive player who made two All-NBA teams in his recent past. Minnesota just lost a great player.
It also cost them on the draft board, as they moved back from the 28th pick in the first round down into the second round at pick No. 33. That may seem like a small change, just five slots, but it was a move fraught with peril. So many draft prospects are returning to college to bag large NIL paydays and it introduces a cliff in the talent available. If the Wolves went from above the cliff to below it, that could make the Randle trade sting all the more.
Instead, the Wolves traded back to No. 33, saved all manner of money, and then landed a player in Isaiah Evans who could have been drafted in the late teens. It was a phenomenal stroke of fortune for Minnesota, and it instantly boosts the value of the Randle trade.
Isaiah Evans is a stud
Evans is a knockdown movement shooter with some shake as a ball-handler and the length to be a perimeter defender. He can step in for the injured Donte DiVincenzo and keep the offense rolling. With Jaden McDaniels as his mentor, his defense could come along shortly.
The Timberwolves may very well have taken Evans at pick No. 28 if they hadn't moved down, or even at pick No. 21 if they had not executed a salary dump back at February's trade deadline to move down in the first place. To get him at 33 and move off of all that money is a coup.
The Randle trade how not been completely written. Minnesota got excellent value on the amount of salary they moved off their books, and they landed an excellent prospect in Isaiah Evans. Now comes the task of using that flexibility to improve the roster around Anthony Edwards and McDaniels.
Re-signing Ayo Dosunmo was a part of that task, and he returns on a large deal. His defensive versatility should pair nicely with Evans given the thin rookie will struggle to start his career on that end. Having a solid defensive framework around Evans on the bench will help those lineup combinations to sing.
From there, where do the Timberwolves go? Can they sign another contributor with the mid-level exception? Is Joan Beringer ready for real rotation minutes? When will DiVincenzo return from injury?
The final grade is yet to come in for the trade. So far, however, with a premium talent in Isaiah Evans falling to the 33rd pick, the trade is a resounding success for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
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