174. Here Comes the Bane

Jeff Weltman said he’d be aggressive this offseason, and he has not wasted time pulling off this big time Father’s Day deal with the Memphis Grizzlies to acquire Desmond Bane in the middle of the NBA Finals. The Orlando Magic had to give out Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, the 16th pick of the 2025 Draft, their 2026 pick that is tied to a Wizards-Suns pick swap, an unprotected 2028 first, a top-2 protected 2029 pick swap, and a 2030 unprotected first round selection. It seems like a massive amount for a player who has not been named an All-Star, but Bane fits this roster on and off the floor and fills many needs. He’s in his prime and under contract through the 2029 season. There’s addition by subtraction occurring in that trade price tag. But the Magic are on paper better with Bane, and they didn’t have to give up Jalen Suggs, Anthony Black, or Tristan Da Silva. Bane is theoretically now the Magic’s starting ‘point guard’ with his diverse skill set. This a message to the rest of the Eastern Conference that the Magic believe they can be a title contending team now. Bane will wear the #3 pinstriped jersey. This shouldn’t be the only notable roster change for this offseason. Also, Franz Wagner commits to playing for the German national team at EuroBasket 2025. All of that and more! #LetsGoMagic Warning: Adult Language