The 2025 NBA Finals are in full swing, but trade season is already here. The Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic agreed to the first blockbuster of the summer, with a massive deal that aims to push the Magic into the elite tier of the Eastern Conference.
Orlando has acquired Desmond Bane from the Grizzlies for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four first-round picks, and a pick swap, according to ESPN insider Shams Charania. Memphis is getting the No. 16 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Suns’ first-round pick in 2026, and the Magic’s unprotected 2028 and 2030 first-round picks, plus a “lightly protected” first-round swap in 2029.
Bane has never been an NBA All-Star, but he’s played at close to an All-Star for the last four seasons. He’s one of the better three-point shooters in the league with a 41 percent career mark from downtown on 6.4 attempts per game. He’s also dogged defender who can provide tough point-of-attack defense on lead ball handlers or smaller wings. Bane turns 27 before next season.
The Magic are going all-in to address their biggest need, and the Grizzlies are taking a surprising step back. Let’s grade this deal for both sides.
Magic trade grade for Desmond Bane deal
The Orlando Magic were one of the worst shooting teams in NBA history this season relative to their peers. The Magic finished dead-last by making only 31.8 percent of their threes as a team. A lack of shooting and spacing doomed Orlando’s offense to a 108.9 offensive rating, which ranked No. 27 in the NBA. The Magic’s offense was even worse in the playoffs during their first-round series loss to the Boston Celtics in five games, finishing with a 103.8 offensive rating.
Orlando still went 41-41 and earned the No. 7 seed in the East even with such a bad offense because their defense was elite. The trick for the Magic this offseason was going to be addressing their shooting woes without compromising the league’s No. 2 defense. The trade for Bane threads that needle perfectly at a steep cost.
Bane is a perfect fit for what the Magic need. He’s an elite shooter, a solid defender, and a good secondary creator with the ball in his hands. Orlando needed an extra ball handler, a knockdown shooter, and someone who could keep the machine running on defense, and they found it all in one player.
The Magic had horrible injury luck last year with their three best players Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs all missing significant time with injuries. Wagner was playing at an All-NBA level when he was leading lineups without Banchero. Banchero had some monsters games earlier in the season, but struggled with his scoring efficiency. Suggs was having his best year yet by averaging 16.2 points per game with typically elite defense until knee surgery ended his season after 35 games.
The Magic believe Wagner and Banchero can both be All-NBA caliber players. Suggs is one of best defensive guards in the league, and he’s starting to show signs of growth on offense. Now Bane brings the shooting this unit desperately needed while also giving them another guard to handle against pressure in the full court, and run secondary actions.
The fit between Bane and the Magic is perfect. Holy cow did they give up a lot, though.
Phoenix’s 2026 first-round pick is an incredibly valuable chip, and dealing unprotected first-rounders in 2028 and 2030 is scary if this core doesn’t work for whatever reason. Bane is a really good player and a great fit, but he’s never been an All-Star. This feels like an absolute ton to give up for him.
The Eastern Conference is going to be down next season with Jayson Tatum’s torn Achilles wrecking the Celtics, and Damian Lillard’s torn Achilles hurting the Bucks. The Magic are doing this trade because they see an opportunity in the East this year, and they think they can win it after adding Bane to their core. This is an incredibly bold swing, but the roster is now talented enough to push the Cavs, Knicks, and Pacers at the top of the East, and there’s a decent chance they can actually breakthrough.
Magic grade: B+
Grizzlies trade grade for Desmond Bane deal
The Grizzlies were holding down the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference for long stretches of this season. Unfortunately, they cratered after the All-Star break, fired their head coach in stunning fashion, and got absolutely smoked in the first-round of the playoffs in a sweep by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Memphis was clearly at its breaking point when it fired Taylor Jenkins, who has now officially been replaced by former assistant Tuomas Iisalo. The Grizzlies weren’t that far away in the West despite their rough finish, with 48 wins getting them the No. 8 seed while 52 wins got the Houston Rocks the No. 2 seed. If the Thunder are the measuring stick for contention, Memphis obviously wasn’t close, and that’s why they’re dealing one of their best players in the prime of his career.
This is a huge haul for Memphis to help reset the deck. The Grizzlies are one of the smartest teams in the league when it comes to the draft, and they’re acquiring three picks with a high ceiling, plus a solid pick in No. 16 overall this year. The Suns are about to trade Kevin Durant and could take a big step back next season, making their 2026 pick super tantalizing. Caldwell-Pope and Anthony should be able to help too, whether Memphis rehabs their value to flip them, or uses them as depth pieces this season.
Will the Grizzlies trade Ja Morant or Jaren Jackson Jr.? GM Zach Kleinman has sworn Morant isn’t on the market, but there’s been plenty of speculation the other way. I think Memphis should still be good next season with Caldwell-Pope and Anthony replacing Bane, and the picks make their future so much more interesting.
Ultimately, the Grizzlies just couldn’t break through with this core. They did well to move off of it early instead of holding on too long.
