Desmond Bane Reacts Positively to Orlando Magic Trade, Welcomes Sunshine

Desmond Bane was traded by the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for 4 first round picks, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cole Anthony.

Desmond Bane Reacts Positively to Orlando Magic Trade, Welcomes Sunshine

Desmond Bane (FS Image)

The two young teams in Memphis and Orlando Magic are on opposite ends of the NBA contender cycle. Memphis is on the downturn now after making the playoffs for four of the last five years. Orlando, on the other hand, is consolidating around its star swingmen Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. The two teams exchanged talent in the first trade of the summer of 2025 as Desmond Bane heads to Florida.

The Grizzlies traded Desmond Bane to the Magic for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four unprotected first rounders and a pick swap on Sunday. While many people are looking at this as a tanking move by Memphis, they still have Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr and other talented young players to build around. The Magic, on the other hand, have been adjudged to have made a win-now move, taking Bane.

Bane was drafted by Boston in 2020 before the Grizzlies acquired him in a trade. This was a wise move as Bane gave the Grizzlies five years of great two-way play. He came into the NBA ready to contribute after spending four seasons at TCU. Bane went from strength to strength during his Memphis tenure. He was initially pigeonholed into a shooter’s role by Taylor Jenkins, but he grew to become a capable on-ball player.

Desmond Bane has been the most reliable scorer for the Grizzlies over the past three seasons. He has averaged over 19 points per game every year after 2021-22. The 26-year-old has also become a capable secondary playmaker and has shown good decision-making in this role. Losing him will set the team back in terms of 1v1 shot creation and offensive ceiling.

Bane addressed his trade a few hours after NBA insider Shams Charania made his initial post. His tweeted just two emojis – one of a sun, and the other of a smiling face with sunglasses.

He is giving a clear sign that he’s ready to adapt to his new environment and compete for championships. Luckily for him, he is joining a team with defensive talent in spades and youthful energy propelling the team.

How does Desmond Bane change the equation for the Orlando Magic?

Desmond Bane is a versatile player in the guard/forward prototype. He can play on and off the ball equally well and is perfectly fine with relying on off-ball movement for his looks. Bane can also be a deadly shooter, averaging over 38% from range in each of his five NBA seasons. As a plus shooter, he can be a crucial element of the Magic’s spacing, which has been one of their shortcomings in recent years.

Bane will enter the second year of a 5-year, $197 million deal this season. The Magic will also start paying Franz Wagner for the first year of his 5-year, $224 million deal in 2025-26. The front office will need to set some more money aside as Paolo Banchero is eligible for a max extension this summer. The team will have a 1-2 year window of contention, with these three players starting their prime years soon.

While the Magic have sorted out their offensive capabilities with this trade, they clearly need another piece on offense. Jalen Suggs has been great as a bit-part player, but the Magic lack a true point guard to set the table. It remains to be seen what moves they make in the upcoming days to plug this gap.

Bane is a good playmaker, but he is not even close to being a primary ballhandler in the NBA. His 2023-24 exploits in the absence of Ja Morant notwithstanding, Bane would be better used in an off-ball capacity.

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