Magic acquire Desmond Bane in massive trade with Grizzlies
After falling short in the NBA playoffs, the Orlando Magic decided to make a game-changing move Sunday in order to potentially thrust them into the title-contending conversation in the Eastern Conference.
Orlando has acquired veteran guard Desmond Bane in a deal with the Memphis Grizzlies via ESPN.
The Memphis Grizzlies traded Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four unprotected first-round picks and one first-round pick swap Sunday.
Orlando sent Memphis the No. 16 pick in the 2025 NBA draft, its 2026 first-round pick (which includes swap rights with the Phoenix Suns or Washington Wizards) and its 2028 and 2030 unprotected first-round selections. The pick swap is top-two protected in 2029.
The Magic were already considered an up-and-coming team with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner leading the way, but the addition of Bane could give them a considerable boost in the backcourt alongside Jalen Suggs.
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Although Bane isn’t a superstar and will likely never reach that distinction in his NBA career, the TCU product has been a star on the rise over the years in Memphis while shouldering the load most of the time for an often-injured Ja Morant.
The real question now is whether this drastic move instantly puts the Magic in the same conversation as the heavyweights in the East like the Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics.
If it doesn’t, Orlando has just leveraged its future in a deal that could come back to bite them.
