NBA Trade Rumors: Brian Windhorst predicts Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant’s future after Desmond Bane megadeal

The NBA had its first big trade on Sunday, when the Orlando Magic acquired Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst predicted the future of Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., who are both extension-eligible this offseason.

Speaking on “SportsCenter” following the blockbuster trade, Windhorst explained that he’s unsure of what the Grizzlies’ current plans are. However, he did point out that the entire NBA is going to be investigating Memphis and following what they’re going to do next.

“The next question is what about Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.?” Windhorst said. “And I don’t know the answer to this. This is something that we’re just starting to trying to figure out with this trade. The whole league is now going to investigate this. We haven’t heard from the Grizzlies yet.”

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Brian Windhorst added that when the Memphis Grizzlies introduce their new players, reporters are likely to ask them about the future of Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. They are both eligible for extensions, but the Grizzlies could opt for a rebuild due to how loaded the Western Conference is.

It's worth monitoring, according to Windhorst, who also explained why the Orlando Magic had to pay a ton of first-round picks for Desmond Bane. In addition to Bane's value, the Magic also had to attach assets to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope due to his two-year, $42 million contract remaining.

Here's the full breakdown of the trade:

Magic received:

• Desmond Bane

Grizzlies received:

• Cole Anthony
• Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
• 2025 first-round pick (16th overall)
• 2026 first-round pick (Unprotected)
• 2028 first-round pick (Unprotected)
• 2029 first-round pick swap (Top 2 protected)
• 2030 first-round pick (Unprotected)

Desmond Bane trade means Orlando is all-in next season

The Eastern Conference will be wide open next season, with Jayson Tatum and Damian Lillard likely missing the entire campaign due to their respective injuries. The Orlando Magic have gone all-in by trading for Desmond Bane, who could be the missing piece on their roster.

Bane is a legitimate second or third scoring option who can knock down 3-point shots at a high clip. He's not as good defensively as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, but he's also playing alongside Jalen Suggs, who is among the best perimeter defenders in the NBA.

The Magic now have a starting five consisting of Suggs, Bane, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr. Based on the Indiana Pacers and OKC Thunder's success this season, depth is key moving forward.

Orlando's role players for next season include Anthony Black, Jett Howard, Jonathan Isaac and Goga Bitadze.

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Juan Paolo David

Juan Paolo is a journalist for Sportskeeda who covers the NBA and WNBA. He's been writing about basketball since 2015 and has been with Sportskeeda since 2021.

Juan's allegiance lies with the Golden State Warriors and his journey with the Warriors began with their memorable victory over the Lakers in 2000, and he experienced the successes of the 'We Believe' era and the rise of Steph Curry. 

What Juan loves most about basketball is its ability to evoke a range of emotions, from adrenaline-fueled excitement to the highs of victory and the lows of defeat. To ensure complete accuracy in articles, he conducts thorough research before writing his articles.

The Warriors' victories in the 2022 and 2017 championships hold a special place in Juan's memories, as well as iconic moments like Baron Davis' dunk over Andrei Kirilenko and Goran Dragic's performance in the 2010 Western Conference semifinals.

Off the court, Juan enjoys watching football, TV and movies, caring for his numerous cats, and cooking whenever time permits.

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