The Orlando Magic were eliminated once again in the first round of the playoffs for the second season in a row, and this offseason, they wanted to turn things up a notch. With a core of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, the Magic have a chance to be a competitive team for years to come, but they are going to have to find a way to improve.
That's what they did on Sunday morning, as they traded for Desmond Bane, and in return, sent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four first-round picks, and a pick swap to the Memphis Grizzlies. With Bane, the Magic now have a career 41% 3-point shooter who can defend and also make plays for others on the court.
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Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony shoots a free throw against the Atlanta Hawks in the fourth quarter at Kia Center.
Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
For the Grizzlies, they now have two solid role players who can continue to help them compete in the Western Conference. After the trade was announced, the Magic's social media page sent a message to Cole as he heads to his next team.
"Thank you Cole Anthony, for helping build the culture in the O," the Magic wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Anthony played five seasons with the Magic after being drafted by them in 2020. He averaged 12.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game in his career with the team.
The Grizzlies will be getting a scorer at the guard position, and he can be a big help to Ja Morant when he needs a break. From the looks of it, the early returns show that it may be a win-win trade for both teams.