The Chicago Bulls are already in motion less than 24 hours before a definitive NBA draft night for a franchise in the midst of a rebuild.
The Bulls took part in a three-team trade Monday with the Brooklyn Nets and the Minnesota Timberwolves, sources confirmed to the Tribune, acquiring center Nic Claxton from the Nets. The Timberwolves sent center Julius Randle and the No. 28 pick in the 2026 draft to Brooklyn in exchange for the No. 33 pick, per a report from ESPN.
The Bulls’ export in the trade has not yet been confirmed, but the team will need to send out an asset to complete the deal.
Although the deal was struck Monday night, the teams can’t officially sign the paperwork until July 6, when a moratorium on free-agent signings and trades will be lifted.
Claxton answers key questions for the Bulls in the post after the former front office traded longtime center Nikola Vučević at the deadline. Although the Bulls have been content with role player contributions from backup center Jalen Smith, the current frontcourt is notably thin, especially if the team does not re-sign Zach Collins.
The No. 31 pick in the 2019 draft, Claxton is a 6-foot-11 center who averaged 11.7 points and 6.9 rebounds as a starter for the Nets last season. Claxton is limited in key areas of his game — most notably lacking any outside threat as a shooter — but he will add depth and versatility in the pick-and-roll. His father, Charles Claxton Jr., played one season in 1995-96 with the Boston Celtics.
This trade is part of a purposeful approach by executive vice president of basketball operations Bryson Graham, who has voiced since his introductory news conference a willingness to utilize Chicago’s extensive cap space to facilitate trades and improve the team’s long-term future.
Claxton is currently entering the third season of a four-year, $97 million deal, which will leave the Bulls with just over $30 million remaining in cap space.
This is a crucial first step in a busy week for the Bulls, who will pick No. 4 and No. 15 in Tuesday’s draft.
