The Minnesota Timberwolves will have three potential free agents in offseason at Julius Randle, Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Although Alexander-Walker is an unrestricted free agent, Randle and Reid have player choices in their contracts.
Julius Randle may reject his $30.93 million player option
Reid may turn down his choice and seek a bigger deal, but Randle may accept his option and return to Minnesota as he is scheduled to make $30.93 million next season. Of these three players, Randall’s best chance of returning to Wolves next season.
However, Randall never won the NBA title. The three-time All-Star will likely hit a free agent to join another playoff contender. He helped Minnesota reach the Western Conference Finals for the second straight season, but the Timberwolves still haven’t reached it in the playoffs.
If the 30-year-old decides to leave, it’s three best free agent destinations.
San Antonio Spurs
According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the Spurs’ salary is $143 million, exceeding the cap in both first-round draft picks. Not only will San Antonio be able to expand De’aaron Fox and pick two players in the first round, the team can also use its $14.1 million non-tax and $5.1 million biennial one-time exception.
Max said 10 players have signed contracts next season, so Fox’s new contract could be completed on August 3, the first day he allowed the signing of an extension. Fox is eligible to sign a four-year, $229 million top deal. Previous lottery picks Jeremy Sochan can also qualify for extension until October 20.
San Antonio can use another scorer in its frontcourt because the team scored worse per 100 games when superstar Victor Weiman Bamama appears this season. Plus Randall would be ideal as the Spurs could lose Chris Paul to free agents.
Randle’s aggressive play style will complement Wembanyama’s performance, and if not for his season-end blood clot, he would have won the Defensive Player of the Year award. Although he didn’t play after the All-Star Weekend, he still led the league with obstacles.
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets lost the heartbreaking loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals, and the team’s disappointing defeat left only more questions than answers to the offseason.
Denver fired then-coach Michael Malone before the 2025 playoffs and promoted David Adelman to interim, who is now officially the team’s new head coach. General Manager Calvin Booth was also let go.
Worse, Denver faces a salary cap crisis with Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon, accounting for 82% of their total salary.
While the Denver cap situation may not be ideal for veterans like Julius Randle, no one knows that Jokic’s future could be a three-year, $212.2 million extension the day after the NBA Finals ended.
He replaced the 2027-28 player option in his first year with a $65.5 million salary and left him in Denver in the 2029-30 season.
The Nuggets are also the first apron team, as they are more than $4.7 million from the apron and do not allow for use of more than 100% of the traders.
Denver will get some savings if Russell Westbrook turns down his $3.3 million player choice and then re-signs the Veteran minimum exception. Westbrook and Dario Saric must choose a deal for next season by June 29.
But if Murray or Porter decides to ask for a deal, then none of this matters in the long run. Star players want every offseason. That would open the door to a fair deal with Randall and the organization. He can also win the championship for less.
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors’ offseason focused on Jonathan Kuminga, a restricted free agent who will play a major role in how much salary flexibility the team will have this summer. Without his list, Golden State would have been $17.5 million below the luxury tax. The Warriors are priced at $25.5 million, down from $37 million for two aprons.
According to Marks, they can use their $14.1 million non-tax intermediate exception, but once the lineup is filled in, it is not allowed to exceed the first apron. Draymond Green also signed a four-year contract in 2023 and is now eligible for another two years ($36.3 and $39.2 million, respectively) with his existing deal.
It seems that the Warriors are all set in the backcourt, but if they lose to free agent Gary Payton II, that could change. Golden State mainly needs the mobile LOB threat, a consistent third place to replace Andrew Wiggins, frontcourt depth and potential backup guard. Julius Randle will fit the bill that suits two of these needs.
Adding senior centers Steven Adams and Randle this offseason will help upgrade the roster. Considering Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler are now more vulnerable to their respective ages.
