I was enjoying a nice little Father’s Day brunch when Shams Charania interrupted my meal and libations to announce that the Memphis Grizzlies traded Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Kentavious Caldwell Pope, Cole Anthony, four first-round picks and a pick swap.
On the surface, that’s a lot of picks to give up for a player who hasn’t been an All-Star in his five years in the league. But let’s look beyond that — Bane is exactly what the Magic needed and coveted this offseason. They were last in the league in 3-point shooting, and Bane is shooting 41% from beyond the arc in his career. They also needed a guard capable of facilitating the offense. Bane is coming off two straight seasons of averaging over five assists per game.
And while some may view the loss of KCP as a negative defensively, Bane holds his own on that side of the ball as well. Is he a lockdown defender? No. But he’s 6-foot-5, swole AF and can guard 1 through 3 without issue.
The Magic, willing to trade their near-term draft capital for Bane, signals that Orlando isn’t messing around and will be a force in the East. I love the core of Jalen Suggs, Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Bane. The center spot is the weakness, but I doubt Orlando is done making moves.
Back to the draft compensation. The 2026 Phoenix or Washington pick swap could be valuable, but the remaining picks offered in the trade, if conveyed, would be of the late-round variety. This also assumes the Magic are healthy and successful over the next few seasons.
Fantasy implications:
Memphis Grizzlies
I thought it was more likely that Ja Morant would be traded. So, now that Bane is gone, Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.’s usage and stock are up. Low-key, this is a win for Scotty Pippen Jr. as well.
Now, it begs the question: With all these new draft assets, is Memphis moving toward a rebuild? They have wing depth, but could they still be buyers and refactor this team to remain competitive?
Orlando Magic
It’s not as if Bane isn’t used to deferring a bit, but this configuration is different. The Grizzlies had moments this year as one of the best teams in basketball, and that often occurred when Bane was the primary facilitator, allowing Morant to move more off the ball. We should see plenty of that with Bane’s versatility, but let’s not get it twisted. He should feast on any kickouts and gravity that Paolo or Franz bring. Another 19/5/5 campaign is doable, and I’d still be good taking him in the early few rounds of 9-cat drafts because he’s efficient, even if there’s a slight dip in production.
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