Julius Randle's Trade to the Nets Finds New Heights in His Fantasy Basketball Ranking

The Nets traded for Julius Randle, sending away Nic Claxton to the Timberwolves.

Apr 7, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) looks on in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The Brooklyn Nets completed a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Chicago Bulls to receive 3-time NBA All-Star Julius Randle. The power forward returns to New York, where he once played for the New York Knicks. Randle will now be able to say he has played for both New York basketball teams. In Brooklyn, Randle expects to have a primary role, and with that comes great impact on our world of fantasy basketball.

Fantasy Basketball Impact

The new Nets roster will have Randle as the team's starting forward and primary big man. That comes with the trade that also sent Nic Claxton to Minnesota.

In 2025-26, Randle scored 21.1 points per game while shooting 48.1% from the field and 80.2% from the free throw line. Randle added 6.7 rebounds per game and 5.0 assists per game. On a much more crowded Timberwolves roster, Randle played to a 25.8% usage rate. His two biggest strengths were a 27.8% assist rate and a 30.5% block rate, especially good given that he played with arguably the NBA's best shot-blocker, Rudy Gobert.

Much will depend on the Nets' 6th overall draft pick, which will be known to the Nets within hours of this publication's release. It appears that the Nets are more likely to select a guard, such as Darius Acuff Jr., Mikel Brown Jr., or Keaton Wagler. Such a selection would limit any impact it may have on Randle's game. Regardless, Randle is held in high regard, and incoming rookies will have to earn their share of basketball.

The Nets' top offensive weapon at the moment is Michael Porter Jr. He played to a usage rate of 29.2%. After Porter Jr., the team fell off in usage rate, with the offense shared by a large number of rotational players, including Nolan Traore, Egor Demin, and Noah Clowney.

The expectation for Randle will be that he may lead the Nets in minutes. He should also lead the team in usage rate, which is projected to range between 26% and 30%. The team is certainly worse than the Timberwolves, offensively. However, such an increase shall offset the usage penalty that Randle is incurring under this deal.

In 2025-26, Randle ranked as the No. 44 player overall in fantasy basketball points per game. He was the PF21 and C15 in leagues in which he was eligible. His fantasy basketball rise in 2026-27 will not be massive, but it will trend upward. Randle may rank as the No. 35-40 player overall in preseason rankings.

Julius Randle Heads to Brooklyn

Just in: Minnesota is sending Julius Randle and the No. 28 pick in the NBA Draft to the Brooklyn Nets in a three-team trade that sends Nic Claxton to the Chicago Bulls, sources tell ESPN. The Timberwolves will acquire Brooklyn’s No. 33 pick for Randle and No. 28. pic.twitter.com/TvADMMNDlg

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 23, 2026

Randle is going to Brooklyn in a three-team deal that was reached on Monday, June 22. The Nets acquire Randle and let go of Claxton, who heads to Minnesota. The only other asset the Nets lose is their No. 28 pick, which they swap for the No. 33 pick in Tuesday's NBA Draft.

The Nets are among the NBA teams with the most cap space. They are a team with young players on cheap deals, which makes them available to take on players whose contracts simultaneously benefit the team. 2026-27 season outlook. The Nets took advantage of this and grabbed Randle as an upgrade to Claxton.

Day'Ron Sharpe will seemingly start at Center for the Nets going forward. He is a fantastic fantasy basketball sleeper. Sharpe is a defensive presence, flashing a 40.9% rebound rate, 31.5% steal rate, and 30.2% block rate. At 30-35 minutes per game, Sharpe can become a top-20 center at his ceiling.