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Multi-Team NBA Trades Reshape Timberwolves, Hornets, Nets, and Bulls Rosters

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The Minnesota Timberwolves, Charlotte Hornets, Brooklyn Nets, and Chicago Bulls have completed a series of interconnected trades that significantly alter their rosters and salary cap positions.

Major Four-Team Trade Reshapes NBA Landscape

A sweeping series of interconnected trades involving the Minnesota Timberwolves, Charlotte Hornets, Brooklyn Nets, and Chicago Bulls has dramatically reshuffled rosters and salary cap sheets across the league. The centerpiece of the transactions sends former All-Star LaMelo Ball to Minnesota, while the Hornets acquire a massive haul of future draft capital.

Summary of Trades

  • Minnesota Timberwolves acquire LaMelo Ball and Josh Green from the Charlotte Hornets.
  • Charlotte Hornets acquire Naz Reid, an unprotected 2033 first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps (2028, 2029, 2030), and three second-round picks (2029, 2032, 2033) from the Timberwolves.
  • Minnesota Timberwolves trade Julius Randle and the No. 28 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft to the Brooklyn Nets.
  • Brooklyn Nets acquire Julius Randle and the No. 28 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft from the Timberwolves.
  • Minnesota Timberwolves receive the No. 33 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft from the Brooklyn Nets.
  • Chicago Bulls acquire Nic Claxton from the Brooklyn Nets.
  • Chicago Bulls send Mouhamadou Gueye (non-guaranteed $2.4 million salary) to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Transaction Details

Timberwolves-Hornets Trade

The Hornets traded guard LaMelo Ball and wing Josh Green to the Timberwolves. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Hornets will receive center Naz Reid, an unprotected 2033 first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps (2028, 2029, 2030), and three second-round picks (2029, 2032, 2033). The deal is expected to be completed after the new league year begins in July.

Timberwolves-Nets-Bulls Trade

The Timberwolves traded forward Julius Randle and the No. 28 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft to the Nets for the No. 33 pick. The Bulls acquired center Nic Claxton from the Nets, absorbing his contract into their cap space. The Bulls sent guard Mouhamadou Gueye to the Timberwolves. The trade was reported by a person with knowledge of the terms who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal has not received league approval. ESPN first reported the deal.

Player Context

LaMelo Ball (Charlotte Hornets): The 2021 Rookie of the Year and 2022 All-Star was the No. 3 pick in the 2020 draft. In the 2025/26 season, he played 72 games, averaging 20.1 points, 7.1 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 28.0 minutes per game. He shot 36.8% from three-point range. Ball missed significant time from 2022 to 2025 due to ankle injuries, playing 105 of a possible 246 games. He has three years and $130.7 million remaining on his contract.

Julius Randle (Minnesota Timberwolves): A three-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA honoree. Over two seasons in Minnesota, Randle averaged 20 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 4.9 assists on 48.2% shooting, missing only 16 games. This will be his fifth team after the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans, and Timberwolves. Randle has two years remaining on a three-year, $100 million contract, including a player option for 2027-28.

Naz Reid (Minnesota Timberwolves): Reid has four years and $103.4 million left on his contract. He is a career 37.1% three-point shooter.

Nic Claxton (Brooklyn Nets): Claxton has played seven seasons with the Nets. In the past season, he averaged 11.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks on 57.1% shooting in 27.8 minutes per game. He is 27 years old and has two guaranteed years left on his contract: $23.3 million next season and $21 million in 2027-28.

Financial Implications

The Timberwolves' trades create a $33 million trade exception. The team saves slightly by swapping Randle and Reid (combined $56.6 million in 2026/27) for Ball and Green ($55.9 million, assuming Ball does not waive his trade kicker). Moving Randle puts the Timberwolves $63 million under the second apron, $50 million under the first apron, and $43 million under the tax. However, the team will face a second-apron hard cap in 2026/27 and will not generate the previously expected $33.3 million trade exception.

For Charlotte, sending out $55.4 million and taking back Reid's $23.3 million cap hit creates a $40.8 million traded player exception, the largest in NBA history. The Hornets gain cap flexibility to re-sign free agent guard Coby White.

The Bulls absorbed Claxton's contract into their cap space without giving up any assets, retaining $32.5 million in remaining cap space. They had $54 million in cap space to absorb the contract. The Nets retain $36.1 million in cap space after the trade.

Team Outlooks

Minnesota Timberwolves

The team now has a backcourt of Ball, Anthony Edwards, and Ayo Dosunmu (who signed a five-year, $112 million contract). The Timberwolves addressed a point guard need after 38-year-old Mike Conley reduced his role and 2024 lottery pick Rob Dillingham did not develop as hoped. Center Rudy Gobert and wing Jaden McDaniels are expected to remain with the team. Donte DiVincenzo started at point guard but suffered a torn Achilles in the playoffs and is expected to miss most or all of 2026/27.

Charlotte Hornets

The Hornets are ending a 10-season playoff drought, the longest active in the NBA and longest in Eastern Conference history. In 2025-26, they outscored opponents by 4.9 points per 100 possessions (eighth best in the league). The starting lineup of Ball, Brandon Miller, Moussa Diabaté, Kon Knueppel, and Miles Bridges recorded a net rating of +26.4 per 100 possessions over 509 minutes, the best mark for any lineup with at least 250 minutes since 2007-08. The Hornets will now build around Miller, Knueppel, and Reid. They selected point guard Christian Anderson Jr. in the first round.

The draft pick swaps are structured as follows: Charlotte can swap its 2028 first-rounder for Minnesota's; the 2029 swap may only be exercisable if Minnesota's pick lands in the top five; the 2030 swap involves Minnesota's pick (top-one protected) or the lesser of Dallas' and San Antonio's picks.

Brooklyn Nets

The Nets have been 32-50, 26-56, and 20-62 over the past three seasons. They hold the No. 6 pick in the draft. Randle is a three-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA honoree.

Chicago Bulls

The Bulls acquired Claxton without giving up any assets beyond absorbing his salary.

Additional Reported Context

Before acquiring Ball, the Timberwolves discussed a potential trade for Jaylen Brown with the Boston Celtics, according to Kevin O'Connor and Jon Krawczynski. According to league sources, Brown has not requested a trade. Some rival front offices doubt the Celtics will trade him this offseason. The Houston Rockets and New Orleans Pelicans have also talked to the Celtics about Brown; Boston is interested in Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III. The Portland Trail Blazers were among the teams pursuing Ball before the Hornets agreed to trade him to the Timberwolves.