Julius Randle and a first-round pick to the Nets could solve Wolves' problems

Brooklyn might be able to get better offers, but this hypothetical trade seems like a win-win.

Nov 19, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Cameron Johnson (2) reacts during the fourth quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

What if the Timberwolves could solve two problems with one trade? However unlikely it may be, the Brooklyn Nets have two players — both believed to be available — in forward Cam Johnson and point guard Dennis Schroder.

Brooklyn has entered a rebuild and has reportedly made everyone on the roster available. That means Schroder, Johnson, Cam Thomas, Bjoan Bogdanovic and Dorian Finney-Smith could be on the move before the NBA's Feb. 6 trade deadline.

Johnson and Schroder would be ideal fits in Minnesota. Johnson is a 3-and-D forward and Schroder would be a strong backup point guard on a Timberwolves team that has struggled to find quality play at the position when Mike Conley is off the floor.

What might interest the Nets? There are probably better offers to be had, but one woulld think that Julius Randle plus the 2025 Pistons first-round pick would at least get the Nets to pick up the phone.

Randle has appeal because he has a $30.9 million player option after this season and he will undoubtedly opt out and get more money and be able to choose his destination as a free agent.

Johnson, who scored 37 points Friday night, is due to make around $21 million in 2025-26 and $23 million in 2026-27. Schroder is a free agent after the season, which means the Nets wouldn't be taking on any future salary under the assumption that Randle opts out.

The Pistons draft pick is top-13 protected in 2025, top-11 protected in 2026, and top-9 protected in 2027, at which point it becomes a second-round pick if Detroit's pick lands in protected territory all three years.

Detroit (7-10) is currently outside the 2025 lottery (15th), so the pick might be immediately valuable to the Nets next season.

Randle has been an obvious liabilty on the defensive end for Minnesota. We wrote Friday about lineup combinations the Wolves have used this season and the starting five this season has a net rating of plus 3.7. The only different between this year's starting five and last year's is Randle versus Karl-Anthony Towns, and last year's five finished the season with a plus 7.9 net rating.

If our fake trade were to happen in real life, Minnesota could run with a starting five of Mike Conley, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Cam Johnson and Rudy Gobert. Or they could bring Johnson off the bench and put Naz Reid in the starting lineup.

The Schroder addition would allow Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Donte DiVincenzo to play off the ball in their more natural positions when Conley isn't running the show.