Desmond Bane was the talk of the NBA world this weekend when it was announced he was headed to the Orlando Magic.
Some fans immediately started to say that the Magic had overpaid for Bane in the trade, but Bill Simmons doesn’t think so.
Speaking on his show, Simmons said those upset about the Magic’s deal just do not understand the sport.
“That’s just for people who don’t watch basketball. I would do this in a heartbeat. It’s three non-lottery picks. It’s no. 16 pick this year, and the Phoenix pick, which is a prize,” Simmons said.
Bill Simmons on people who think the Magic overpaid for Desmond Bane 👀
“That’s just people that don’t watch basketball, I would do this in a heartbeat.”
(Via @rBillSimmonsPod, h/t @MrBuckBuckNBA)pic.twitter.com/BiDgroBPuj
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) June 16, 2025
Did the Magic give up a lot to get Bane?
Yes, they did, but it could be worth it.
They ranked very low with their shooting last season, and Bane could radically change that.
He averaged 48.4 percent from the field and 39.2 percent from the three-point line in 2024-25.
Like many other teams in the Eastern Conference, the Magic believe that next season could be wide open.
With Jayson Tatum out and multiple other squads going through changes, there is more of a pathway to the postseason.
The Magic don’t want to wait, and they felt this was their best course forward.
This is the sort of trade that has some people shaking their heads, but it could end up being brilliant.
By this time next year, some of the people criticizing the Magic right now could be praising them.
Of course, this might be a bad move that costs Orlando a lot, but they feel this is the right step at the right time.
Simmons agrees with them, and time will tell if he’s right.
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