In a surprising mid-June trade, the Orlando Magic just tried to overshadow the NBA Finals (the league has to love that!) by pulling off a blockbuster Sunday, acquiring shooting guard Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies.
The deal is as all-in as it can get for the Magic, with Memphis receiving shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Orlando’s primary free-agent signing last summer; point guard Cole Anthony; four first-round picks and a first-round pick swap.
The relinquished picks include this season’s 16th overall selection, a 2026 pick via Phoenix, Orlando’s own unprotected picks in 2028 and 2030, and a lightly protected swap in 2029.
This marks a huge swing for Orlando, which has been in overwhelming need of reliable guard play for years. The acquisition of Bane, one of the best shooters in the NBA, is made with the idea of opening the floor for Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, signaling the Magic are in it to win it — and as soon as possible.
For Memphis, this is a massive haul for a team trying to figure itself out. This allows the Grizzlies to reset and figure out their next move.
Could that next move be a Ja Morant trade? After pivoting off Bane, it’s impossible to close the door on a full-on rebuild. While nothing is set in stone, the trio of Bane, Morant and center Jaren Jackson Jr. topped out with a second-round playoff appearance in 2022 and leadership could be looking for an even bigger overhaul.
For now though, let’s keep the focus on the Magic, who just sent a strong signal to the rest of the league. They’re entering this summer as buyers — aggressively so — to accelerate their championship timeline. And it makes sense with what they are seeing from Indiana in the Finals and with a former contender in Boston seemingly out of the mix for the foreseeable future.
It’s a good sign to send because they shouldn’t be done.
While Bane does fix a ton of their guard problems, the Magic could still use an additional playmaker, and they certainly need to figure out their center rotation, which currently appears shallow and frankly ineffective with just Wendell Carter and Goga Bitadze healthy.
But getting Bane, who has averaged 20.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.4 assists over the past two seasons, is a strong first move.
For Orlando to be able to use Caldwell-Pope’s contract in the deal has to be considered a major boon for the franchise. They gave Caldwell-Pope $66 million over three years last summer, and he responded by looking immediately overpaid and past his prime, shooting 43.9% from the floor and 34.2% from 3. To be able to use his salary slot is a positive thing for the Magic, even if one of the relinquished draft picks should probably be viewed as additional compensation for Memphis to take on Caldwell-Pope’s salary.
The price Orlando ultimately paid was steep — and time will tell if it proves too steep — but there’s always a premium you have to pay when you go from flirting with the postseason to wanting to marry it.
And who knows? Perhaps this move will do the trick. Bane, after all, is a 3-point shooter with seemingly limitless range and offers the on-ball capabilities for which the organization has been seeking.
Orlando now has a clear four-man core of Banchero, Wagner, Bane and guard Jalen Suggs, which should offer quality two-way production, especially if Wagner gets a handle on his own 3-point shot before next season. (Wagner being a 32.2% career 3-pointer shooter is an issue for another day.)
This offseason just started off with a bang, so we could be looking at a wild trade market this summer.