3 reasons why Orlando Magic won the Desmond Bane trade with Grizzlies

On Sunday, the Orlando Magic announced that they would be acquiring Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for two players and multiple draft picks.

In this deal involving Bane, the Magic are parting ways with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, and the following assets:

• 2025 first-round pick (No. 16)
• 2026 first-round pick (via Phoenix)
• 2028 first-round pick (Unprotected)
• 2029 pick swap with Memphis (Lightly protected)
• 2030 first-round pick (Unprotected)

At first glance, the Magic appear to have given up a lot to acquire one player who hasn’t even made the NBA Finals. A closer look, however, shows how Orlando has taken a step forward in its playoff aspirations. Specifically, there are three reasons why the Magic won this mid-June trade.

Trending

3 reasons why Orlando Magic won the Desmond Bane trade with Grizzlies

#1. The Orlando Magic pulled off the deal while retaining their core

While the list of assets given up by the Magic certainly warrants attention, it’s also important to note that their present roster is already teeming with young, emerging talent. Even after both teams signed off on this trade, the Magic’s core trio of Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner remains intact.

After making it out of the play-in tournament and pushing the Boston Celtics to five games in Round 1, the Magic have a clear picture of their identity for the foreseeable future.

Banchero, Wagner, and Suggs (who is expected to recover from his knee injury in time for next season) are projected to hold the fort in Orlando, and now they have an exciting addition to help them go further in the postseason.

#2. Desmond Bane is an excellent complement to the Orlando Magic's main pieces

The arrival of Bane is not a case of “they’ll figure it out as they move along.” In terms of skill set, he makes perfect sense as the Magic’s new starting shooting guard alongside Suggs, Wagner, and Banchero.

Orlando, it should be remembered, was the worst 3-point shooting team in the 2024-25 regular season. Bane’s ability to spread the floor with his 39.2% outside shooting clip is a much-needed improvement.

On defense, Bane proved himself to be a reliable perimeter defender during his five-year stint in Memphis. His arrival can help elevate Orlando from 14th in defensive rating to one of the elite defensive teams in the league.

#3. Bane brings intangibles to the Orlando Magic

For a player who’s been in the league just five years, the 6-foot-5 former Grizzlies guard has already figured in some high-profile playoff battles. In 2022, Bane competed in a highly emotional second-round series with the eventual champion Golden State Warriors. A year later, Bane and the Grizzlies faced an L.A. Lakers squad led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

To put things in perspective, the 27-year-old has competed in more playoff games from 2021 to 2025 than the Orlando Magic have in the same five-year span. As such, Bane, who averaged 19.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists last season, will also be counted on to provide veteran leadership to a Magic team with a rather young rotation.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback

About the author

Simoun Victor Redoblado

Simoun Victor Redoblado is an NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda with over 12 years of experience writing for publications such as Collider, ALL-STAR Magazine, and Sir Charles in Charge.

Simoun has a bachelor's degree in Secondary Education, Major in English and Minor in journalism. Thanks to the journalism courses that he took, Simoun understood the fundamentals of journalistic storytelling in the context of sports writing.

Passionate for the UP Fighting Maroons, Simoun is a fan of the NBA, PBA, UAAP, and FIBA.
His childhood team was the Chicago Bulls and Simoun was a longtime supporter of the Houston Rockets because his friends would say he looked like Yao Ming.

Simoun loves the systematic, tactical movement of the ball and the players, the stories behind each individual competing on the hardcourt and most of all, how basketball is a sport for life and all its struggles and lessons.

A father of two, Simoun spends his free time with his kids.

Know More