When trying to make sense of the price the Orlando Magic paid to get Desmond Bane, it’s important to remember this: Bane was not for sale.
At least, not reportedly. The Memphis Grizzlies were not widely known to be shopping Bane, or even open to trading Bane. He wasn’t on the trade block.
That didn’t stop the Magic. They identified a player they wanted, called up the organization that employs him, and made an offer.
How do you get something that isn’t for sale? Offer much more than it’s worth.
It reminds me of a story I heard about this couple who wanted to buy a new home. They knew the school district and neighborhood they wanted to move to, but could not find any appropriate homes on the market. So what did they do? They got in touch with a real estate agent and started offeirng more than market value for various homes. In other words, they knocked on the doors of these home owners and made offers they couldn’t refuse, sometimes nearly twice as much as market value.
We’ve seen NBA teams do something similar in recent years. The Clippers traded five first-round picks and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for Paul George; the Knicks traded five first-round picks for Mikal Bridges; and the Magic traded four first-round picks for Bane.
Each time, the response was something like “Wait, they gave up how many firsts for Player X?!”
But that’s the price of a player who isn’t for sale. It’s a sort of door-knocking for off-market players. And it’s a trend worth paying attention to. Teams like the Magic believe – rightly or wrongly – that they are ready to compete now and are missing one specific piece. So they identify the piece they want and make a Godfather offer.
Who could be the next one? Let’s explore some options.
Knicks add a new starter
New York Knicks get: Norman Powell
LA Clippers get: Josh Hart, first-round pick swaps in 2026, 2030 and 2032, four second-round picks.
With Tom Thibodeau gone, Hart’s greatest supporter is no longer coaching the Knicks. The new coach may decide they need a floor-spacer in that spot, but the Knicks can’t afford to have another minus defender in a starting lineup that features Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. Enter Powell, a career 40% 3-point shooter who can hold his own on the defensive end.
Pistons complete their backcourt
Detroit Pistons get: Austin Reaves
Los Angeles Lakers get: Jalen Duren, Simone Fontecchio, two first-round picks (2026, 2028)
The Pistons found success with Jaden Ivey, Malik Beasley and Dennis Schroder as running mates for Cade Cunningham, so there’s proof of concept here. Reaves would be a long-term answer and an upgrade at the position.
Grizzlies get another knock on the door
Atlanta Hawks get: Jaren Jackson Jr.
Memphis Grizzlies get: Onyeka Okongwu, no. 13 pick, no. 22 pick, 2026 first (least favorable of Milwaukee and New Orleans, top-five protected) and future first-round pick swap.
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Tyrese Haliburton
2025 NBA Finals - Game Three | Maddie Meyer/GettyImages
NBA news and rumors roundup
The Pacers are preparing for the possibility of not having Tyrese Haliburton available to play in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, coach Rick Carlisle said in an Indianapolis radio interview Wednesday morning. He added that Haliburton will be listed as questionable and will be a game-time decision.
LeBron James said he’s likely done playing for Team USA at the Olympics and isn’t expecting to be a part of the 2028 team, according to the Hollywood Reporter. He’d be 43.
The Suns are trying to drum up offers by maintaining a high asking price for Kevin Durant, but they may have to reduce their ask in order to trade him, league sources told the Arizona Republic.
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