The Orlando Magic knew they had to go into the offseason and make some moves if they wanted to improve their team moving forward. They've been in the playoffs for the past two seasons, but they've also been eliminated in the first round both times. Magic president Jeff Weltman let it be known that they were ready to take this team to the next level, and that's what he did with this latest acquisition.
On Sunday morning, the Magic received Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies in return for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four first-round picks, and a pick swap.
Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane handles the ball as Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort defends during the third quarter during game three for the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at FedExForum.
Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Hours later, Bane reacted to the trade on social media, and didn't have any words to say, so he just used a sunshine and cool face emoji, probably describing the weather in Orlando.
The Magic are getting a good player in Bane, and he can help them in places where they didn't quite excel last season. First, they were one of the worst 3-point shooting teams last season, but Bane has been one of the best shooters in the league for the past few seasons. Not only is Bane a good shooter, but he's also a solid defender, and he knows how to make plays for others.
With the Eastern Conference potentially up for grabs next season with the uncertainty of the Boston Celtics, the Magic decided to go big and land a player who can help them now and in the future. The Magic may not be done yet, and it will be interesting to see if they make more moves.