By Joel Perez 
The NBA offseason is in full swing, and we’re not even done with the NBA Finals yet…
We’ve got our first transaction of the summer, and it’s between the Memphis Grizzlies and the
Orlando Magic. The Grizzlies are sending their sharpshooter Desmond Bane to Orlando in
exchange for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four unprotected first-round picks, and a
first-round pick swap.
At first glance, I was dumbfounded to see Orlando give away four unprotected firsts—plus a
pick swap—for Desmond Bane, of all people. This trade came outta nowhere and caught
everyone off guard. NBA Twitter was completely in shock that this even happened.
The shock factor is mostly due to the sheer amount of draft capital given up for Bane. He’s not
exactly one of the top names you’d assume the Magic were targeting. But, all that said—I kinda
really like the fit for both Bane and Orlando.
The Magic’s biggest need was someone who can spread the floor and be a threat from beyond
the arc. Desmond Bane fits that profile perfectly: he’s a career 41% three-point shooter and a
legit two-way guy who competes on defense as well.
This trade kind of reminds me of the Mikal Bridges deal from last year, when the Knicks
offloaded a similar haul of draft picks to the Nets. New York even added an extra protected first
in that one. That trade worked out just fine so far—one year in, the Knicks made the Eastern
Conference Finals.
Back to Orlando. The Magic didn’t have the best season, mostly due to the ridiculous amount of
injuries they suffered throughout the year. Even going into the playoffs, they were without their
lead guard, Jalen Suggs.
Now, post-trade, the Magic have a pretty intriguing core. Suggs is already one of the best
defensive guards in the league and continues to improve offensively. Franz Wagner lost his
shooting touch from three, but the hope is he’ll bounce back. He’s already an elite offensive
playmaker, and with better talent around him, he’s poised for a breakout year.
And, of course, we can’t forget Paolo Banchero—future superstar. He’s already shown flashes
of greatness in both the regular season and playoffs. Yeah, his decision-making needs work, but
that’s normal for someone who’s already averaged 26 PPG at just 22 years old. He plays like
he’s unstoppable—and honestly, you can’t blame him. He’s carried this Orlando squad to
back-to-back playoff appearances and even pushed Cleveland to seven games a year ago. His
game will only mature with time, and no sane person is doubting his talent.
Now you plug Bane into the mix, and you’ve got a solid four-man core that can be on the floor
together at all times thanks to their two-way versatility. Even though Franz and Paolo aren’t
known for defense, they’re both 6’10” wings who can bother almost anyone. With Suggs and
Bane guarding the perimeter, I can see why Orlando chose this route over going all-in for
someone like Darius Garland or LaMelo Ball—who are probably better prospects, but would’ve
cost you Suggs plus around the same draft haul.
So why not get someone who fits with what you already have?
Bane checks all the boxes: shooting, defense, maturity, and he doesn’t need the ball to make an
impact. He fits seamlessly with Suggs, Banchero, and Wagner.
Now, from Memphis’s side of things…
This feels like the beginning of a teardown.
They just traded a major piece of their core, and NBA Twitter was already debating whether Ja
Morant could be next. And minutes after this deal was announced, talk from fans shifted to
Jaren Jackson Jr. possibly being on the move too.
In reality, this move makes sense. JJJ just had the best season of his career. Bane averaged 19
PPG on great efficiency. And while Ja wasn’t healthy most of the year, we’ve seen what this
core is capable of—and the ceiling might not be as high as hoped. It makes a lot of sense to
start selling high while these guys still hold peak trade value.
In the end, both teams got what they wanted. Memphis walks away with a massive draft haul
and sheds a max contract, likely setting up a full roster reset. Orlando gets a perfect fit,
addresses their shooting need, and offloads KCP’s rough contract. They also part ways with
Cole Anthony, who’s a spark plug, but this trade opens up more minutes and opportunities for
Anthony Black—who was mostly used in short defensive stints.
Yes, the Magic gave up major draft capital—but they’re betting on themselves.
They’re all in.
Angel Rivera