Desmond Bane

Weltman: Acquiring Bane Was Priority For Offensively-Starved Magic

Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman believes Desmond Bane is the perfect fit for his team, according to Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel.

“The guy is almost the player you would design if you could start from scratch,” Weltman said. “Because obviously we’ve spoken a lot about our need for shooting but we’ve also talked about play-making and adding skill … Desmond is such a unique player because he’s one of the best shooters in the NBA, but he’s also a gifted play-maker and he generates shot-creation for himself and others. He creates advantages with and without the ball.”

In desperate need for more offense from the backcourt to complement high-scoring forward Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, Weltman dug deep into the team’s assets to acquire Bane from the Grizzlies. He traded guards Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cole Anthony, four first-round picks and a 2029 pick swap in order to acquire Bane.

Weltman believes Bane’s timeline fits in well with his young core and the loss of draft capital was offset by the possibility of Bane making the Magic one of the top contenders in the Eastern Conference.

“We feel that the other unique thing about a guy like Des being available to obtain in a trade is the fact that he’s just about to turn 27, so if we are a good team then we hope to be a good team for a while,” Weltman said. “Hopefully, we’ll have this group together for a long time wearing Magic uniforms. That will determine what the value of those picks are and some of this is what the NBA is about. It’s betting on yourself. It’s putting pressure on yourself and elevating your standard.”

Bane averaged 19.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.2 steals this season while shooting 39.2% from 3 on 6.1 attempts. Orlando shot a league-low 31.8% from 3-point range and averaged the third-fewest points.

Weltman said that the trade talks for Bane were a gradual process.

“We valued him very highly for a while,” Weltman said. “There are few guys in the league that if they become available, you’re going to be aggressive. When I stood here after the season, I honestly didn’t expect him to be available in these conversations. But when we learned about that as we did our laps around the league, we shifted gears and made it a priority for us.”

Bane’s contract could become an issue if the trade doesn’t work out as planned. He has four years left on his five-year, $197.2MM deal.

Latest On Desmond Bane Trade

Several teams contacted the Grizzlies about Desmond Bane before they decided to trade him on Sunday, but nobody was as aggressive as the Magic, sources tell Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Orlando is determined to become a title contender and faced a glaring need to improve its three-point shooting after finishing last in the league in that category at 31.8%.

Bane is a 41% shooter from beyond the arc for his career and connected at 39.2% in 69 games last season. The 26-year-old shooting guard projects to be a perfect complement alongside Jalen Suggs in the Magic’s backcourt and should be more productive than Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who was Orlando’s major addition last summer.

“He’ll be a good fit,” an assistant coach told Bontemps. “There’s not a lot of guys that you would want to grab as your third option that can do it to the level that he can do it.”

Even so, Bontemps notes that there was surprise throughout the league about the price the Magic were willing to pay to acquire Bane. In addition to Caldwell-Pope and Cole Anthony, they gave up four first-round picks and a 2029 pick swap, including the 16th selection in this year’s draft.

Orlando also took on a significant financial commitment with Bane, who has four years and $163MM left on his contract. The Magic are likely facing huge tax bills in the future, especially once Paolo Banchero‘s upcoming extension kicks in. One scout suggested to Bontemps that Memphis may have been relieved to unload Bane’s contract.

“[The Grizzlies] did that extension before the new second apron rules kicked in and they were looking at that deal and liking it less,” he said. “Really good guy, good player, but [I] never thought of him as a max guy.”

Bontemps notes that Memphis general manager Zack Kleiman promised changes after being swept in the first round by Oklahoma City, and Sunday’s deal was the first step in that direction. A complete rebuild doesn’t seem likely, as sources told Bontemps that Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. aren’t expected to be dealt, but more moves appear to be coming as the franchise tries to clear up cap room to renegotiate and extend Jackson’s contract before he reaches free agency in 2026.

With the Grizzlies shifting to an up-tempo approach under new coach Tuomas Iisalo, Bontemps hears they’re confident that Jaylen Wells can become a long-term starter. The second-round pick is coming off an outstanding first season, averaging 10.4 PPG and finishing third in the Rookie of the Year voting.

Memphis is also happy with the cache of draft assets it received in the deal, particularly the 2026 selection that will almost certainly be the less favorable pick between Phoenix and Washington. Considering the current state of those two teams, there’s a chance the Grizzlies could wind up with an early pick in a very strong draft.

Bontemps adds that the uncertainty at the top of the East could inspire several teams to emulate Orlando by making a big deal, and there’s a league-wide feeling that numerous trades could take place by draft night.

“For them, they got to give themselves a chance,” one executive said. “They have gone to the playoffs two years in a row and had a first-round exit, and they look around and they’ve got a young group that’s trying to figure out how to take the next step.”

Grizzlies Notes: Trade, Finances, Caldwell-Pope, Coaching Staff

In trading Desmond Bane, the Grizzlies moved on from a player who is possibly the best shooter in franchise history in a deal that has sweeping implications for the organization, writes Damichael Cole for Memphis Commercial Appeal. In addition to his offensive workload, Bane had also assumed a prominent leadership role in Memphis in recent years.

Despite moving Bane for a pick-heavy trade package, the Grizzlies aren’t expected to go into rebuild mode, Cole writes. Those picks will likely be used in trades, whether to bring in more talent or to clear cap room to help renegotiate Jaren Jackson Jr.‘s contract.

In the meantime, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will help shore up the perimeter defense around Ja Morant. While the shot creation will take a hit with the loss of Bane, Caldwell-Pope should still be a helpful floor spacer, despite coming off a down year with the Magic.

We have more notes from the Grizzlies:

  • Grizzlies fans shouldn’t be shocked if Cole Anthony is moved in a subsequent trade, as his fit with high-end backup point guard Scotty Pippen Jr. is questionable, writes Spotrac’s Keith Smith. While the trade will provide long-term financial flexibility for Memphis, it eats into the team’s ability to create cap space this summer, Smith notes, especially given the salary slot for the newly acquired 16th pick in the 2025 draft.
  • Caldwell-Pope’s durability could be a valuable asset for a Grizzlies team that has struggled to keep its best players on the floor, writes Jonah Dylan for Memphis Commercial Appeal. Memphis’ new wing has never played fewer than 67 games in a season over his 12-year career. He also brings championship experience to a team that has struggled to make good on its potential in previous playoff runs.
  • The Grizzlies are searching for a new top assistant for head coach Tuomas Iisalo‘s coaching staff, writes Marc Stein for The Stein Line (Substack link). Names being considered include Adrian Griffin, Mavericks assistant Jared Dudley, and Magic assistant Dale Osbourne.

Magic Notes: Bane, Finances, Shammgod

The Magic made the first major move of the 2025 offseason by trading for former Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane. The deal, which sent out Cole Anthony, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, four first-round picks, and a 2029 pick swap, signifies a shift to a more aggressive win-now team outlook, writes The Orlando Sentinel’s Jason Beede.

Last year’s move to acquire Caldwell-Pope in free agency marked an initial step in this direction for a Magic team built around a young core of Jalen Suggs, Paolo Banchero, and Franz Wagner. Swapping Caldwell-Pope for the 26-year-old Bane without giving up either of Anthony Black or Tristan Da Silva allows the team to address its desire to improve the shooting and self-creation on the roster without sacrificing much of its defensive identity or young talent.

The Magic must make decisions within the next two weeks on team options for Moritz Wagner, Cory Joseph, Caleb Houstan, and Gary Harris. The deadline to do so is June 29.

We have more from the Magic:

  • The Magic are interested in adding Mavericks assistant coach God Shammgod to their coaching staff, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link). Shammgod and Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley previously worked together on the Mavs’ coaching staff, and Shammgod is a respected assistant, especially with regard to developing and integrating guards.
  • The Bane trade is not just a big swing in terms of draft picks, writes Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (via Twitter). It’s also a major financial decision. Wagner and Suggs are already under long-term, big-money deals, and Banchero is set to command an extension that could exceed $50MM annually. With Bane two years into a five-year, $197MM contract, the Magic are suddenly getting very expensive, though Gozlan notes (via Twitter) that they could potentially avoid becoming a second apron team in the coming years by moving some of their mid-sized contracts, such as Jonathan Isaac, Wendell Carter Jr., and/or Goga Bitadze.
  • Breaking down the finances of the trade, Keith Smith of Spotrac writes that the Magic being near the first apron is unlikely to impact them this season, as their roster is basically set if they bring back Mo Wagner and carry one more minimum-salary player. It’s the 2026/27 season that will see Orlando’s finances become onerous, with around $196MM committed to eight players, depending on whether Banchero’s extension begins at 25% or 30% of the cap. Smith writes that those salary numbers may force the Magic to eventually trade one of their core players, but that is a decision for a later date.

Magic Acquire Desmond Bane From Grizzlies In Three-Player Deal

4:02 pm: The trade is now official, per a Magic press release (Twitter link).


10:14 am: The Grizzlies will trade Desmond Bane to the Magic in exchange for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four unprotected first-round picks and one first-round pick swap, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Memphis will receive the 16th selection in this year’s draft, along with a “most favorable” 2026 first-round pick that will likely be Phoenix’s and unprotected first-rounders from Orlando in 2028 and 2030, Charania adds, noting that there’s light protection on the pick swap in 2029 (Twitter link).

Bane provides a potent offensive weapon for a Magic team that often struggled to score. He averaged 19.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 69 games this season with a .484/.392/.894 shooting line. He’ll be another scoring threat to team with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner and should be a good complement to defensive specialist Jalen Suggs in the backcourt as Orlando looks to become a contender in what should be a weakened Eastern Conference.

The 27-year-old guard just completed the first season of a five-year, $197.2MM extension, so Orlando will be getting the security of a long-term contract. Bane will make $36.7MM next season, with that number rising to $44.9MM in the final year of his deal in 2028/29.

Caldwell-Pope wasn’t able to provide the Magic with consistent backcourt scoring after being signed away from Denver last offseason, but Charania notes that he’s a strong defensive wing who’ll bring championship experience to Memphis. Caldwell-Pope, 32, appeared in 77 games this season, averaging 8.7 PPG, his lowest scoring average since his rookie season. He shot 43.9% from the field and 34.2% from three-point range, significantly below the numbers he posted during his two years in Denver.

Caldwell-Pope has two years left on the deal he signed last summer and will earn $21,621,500 in each of the next two seasons.

Anthony has been a productive scorer during his five years in Orlando, but his playing time (18.4 minutes per game) and scoring average (9.4 PPG) both hit career lows this season. The 25-year-old guard will provide Memphis with instant offense off the bench and will make $13.1MM next season with a $13.1 team option for 2026/27.

Cap expert Yossi Gozlan tweets that the trade can be processed right away rather than waiting for the moratorium to be lifted on July 6. He adds that the Magic are required to do a 100% salary match because they project to be above the $195.9MM first apron next season. As a result of aggregating salaries, they will be hard-capped at the $207.8MM second apron in 2025/26, but can escape the luxury tax by declining team options on Moritz Wagner ($11MM) and Gary Harris ($7.5MM).

Gozlan also states that Orlando’s combined salary and tax bill could top $350MM in 2026/27 once Banchero’s expected max extension kicks in (Twitter link).

In addition, Gozlan notes that the deal will impact a possible renegotiation and extension for Jaren Jackson Jr. by decreasing the Grizzlies’ available cap space from $6.9MM to $4.5MM. Additional trades may be necessary to free up more money for Jackson.

ESPN’s Bobby Marks points out (via Twitter) that Bane has a 15% trade bonus in his contract, but it will be voided because it would push his salary over the maximum.

And-Ones: Expansion, Greenwood, Anigbata, 2020 Draft

While NBA commissioner Adam Silver believes the league will “likely” expand beyond its current 30 teams sooner or later, he said during an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show this week that it’s not obvious to him that it absolutely needs to happen in the short term (Twitter video link).

“The reason I say it’s not obvious is because as a global business where something like two billion people will connect with us on social media, over a billion people over the course of the year will watch some portion of the game, adding another U.S. city, it’s unclear how much growth we’ll get as a result of that,” Silver explained, noting that expanding from 30 teams to 32 would dilute the NBA’s talent pool and result in two new partners splitting up the league’s revenue.

“… Having said that,” Silver continued, “I do believe certain markets can potentially be additive to the NBA, and that’s what we’re going to look at. I think part of it is geographic. It’s a big country. Making sure we’re represented all around the country, and then over time, maybe there’s more we can do in Canada, and Mexico City is a city we’ve talked about before.”

Silver went on to say that the NBA hasn’t met with any groups from specific cities yet, but confirmed that expansion will be a real topic of discussion at the league’s Board of Governors meetings in July.

“I don’t mean to tease people with this,” Silver said. “This is the summer we’re going to look at it seriously.”

We have more from around the basketball world:

  • David Greenwood, a former UCLA star who was the No. 2 overall pick in the 1979 draft behind Magic Johnson, has passed away at age 68 after battling cancer, according to Beth Harris of The Associated Press. Greenwood appeared in over 800 regular season games across 12 NBA seasons with the Bulls, Spurs, Pistons, and Nuggets, earning a spot on the All-Rookie first team in 1980 and winning a title with Detroit in 1990. He held career averages of 10.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 28.4 minutes per game.
  • Ahead of Sunday’s draft withdrawal deadline for early entrants, German forward Alec Anigbata has removed his name from consideration, reports Jon Chepkevich of DraftExpress (Twitter link). The 20-year-old has played a minor role for Ratiopharm Ulm in Germany this season and will become automatically draft-eligible in 2026, Chepkevich notes.
  • If the 2020 NBA draft were held again knowing what we know now, Anthony Edwards would still be the No. 1 pick, but a pair of Tyreses – Tyrese Haliburton and Tyrese Maxey – would move into the top three after initially being drafted at No. 12 and No. 21, respectively, according to HoopsHype. In HoopsHype’s 2020 re-draft, a series of late first-rounders move into the top 10, with Desmond Bane jumping from No. 30 to No. 5 while Jaden McDaniels (No. 28 to No. 6), Immanuel Quickley (No. 25 to No. 9), and Payton Pritchard (No. 26 to No. 10) also make big leaps.

Grizzlies Notes: Kleiman, Iisalo, Morant, Jackson Jr., Offseason Preview

Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman didn’t mince words during his end-of-season press conference when he discussed his team’s season.

“Disappointing season,” Kleiman said, per Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “A lot to sort through here. Forty-eight wins, good for an eight seed, but who cares? It’s not good enough.”

The Grizzlies were swept by the top-seeded Thunder in the first round of the playoffs after earning the No. 8 seed via the play-in tournament. An injury to Ja Morant didn’t help the cause, but Kleiman vowed to improve the roster in order to make the team a high-level contender.

“I don’t think we can look back at this series and this season and say, ‘Oh, we’re close,'” Kleiman said. “No, we’re not close. There’s a lot of work to be done.”

Here’s more on the Grizzlies:

  • Head coach Tuomas Iisalo has publicly expressed a desire to have his interim tag removed. However, Kleiman is still pondering his options regarding Taylor Jenkins’ full-time replacement. “I have not made any decisions on the coaching front at this point,” Kleiman said.
  • Signing Jaren Jackson Jr. to an extension remains a priority in Memphis. Kleiman believes Morant, Jackson and Desmond Bane can be key pieces to a championship team. “At the peak times of what this group has done, it’s right there and there is so much to hold on to,” he said. “And there’s been so much growth. They’re beginning to enter their prime. I think for each of them, there are significant steps that have been taken in a really positive direction.”
  • Kleiman should at least consider moving Morant, who has three years on his contract, and Jackson, Will Guillory of The Athletic opines. Morant has only appeared in 59 regular-season games over the last two seasons and his actions continued to be a problem this season, Guillory writes, noting that the guard’s “finger gun” celebrations became a talking point around the league. There were also rumblings about Morant’s role in Jenkins’ firing. As for Jackson, if he makes an All-NBA team this year, he’ll be eligible for a five-year, $345MM super-max extension. That may be too much for a small-market team to swallow.
  • ESPN’s Bobby Marks provides insights and opinions regarding the Grizzlies in his video offseason preview (Youtube link).

Tuomas Iisalo Would Like To Become Grizzlies’ Permanent Head Coach

Tuomas Iisalo expressed interest in remaining head coach of the Grizzlies, but he understands that it won’t be his decision to make, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal (subscription required). Iisalo was asked about his future after Memphis’ season ended today with a first-round sweep by Oklahoma City.

“I don’t have any thoughts on that subject,” Iisalo responded. “. . . I tried to do my best in those (games). Those decisions are for somebody else in the future. Do I want to be permanent head coach? Yes, why not.”

Iisalo was selected to run the team on an interim basis following the surprise firing of Taylor Jenkins in late March with nine games left on the schedule. He guided the Grizzlies to a 4-5 record to close out the regular season, then lost to Golden State in the play-in tournament before beating Dallas to earn the No. 8 seed.

Iisalo, 42, coached for nearly a decade in Europe before Memphis hired him last summer to run the offense when the front office restructured Jenkins’ coaching staff by replacing five assistants. General manager Zach Kleiman didn’t indicate whether Iisalo would be a candidate for the job on a permanent basis when he spoke to reporters last month.

There’s more from Memphis:

  • The Grizzlies still have confidence in Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant to be the foundation of the team, according to Cole, but their lack of postseason success is concerning. Cole points out that they’ve only won a single playoff series in their five years together, and they will continue to get more expensive when Jackson becomes eligible for a contract extension this summer.
  • Rookie center Zach Edey and third-year point guard Scotty Pippen Jr. were pleasant surprises throughout the season and both had strong playoff performances, Cole adds. Edey emerged as the team’s best rebounder and screen setter, while Pippen scored 28 and 30 points in the final two games against OKC. “I’ve been very encouraged by Zach’s improvement, from the first game on,” Iisalo said. “He felt a little overwhelmed with the tempo and the physicality of the game, but then game-by-game he was improving and (made an) impact in improving on both ends. Scotty in (Game 3), especially (at the) beginning, was tremendous. He’s been doing those things for a while now, and (it’s) especially great to see the consistency.”
  • Cole doesn’t expect unrestricted free agents Luke Kennard, Marvin Bagley and Lamar Stevens to return next season, but he believes restricted free agent Santi Aldama will be re-signed. Aldama, a 24-year-old power forward, is coming off his best NBA season, averaging 12.5 points and 6.4 rebounds in 65 games.

Southwest Notes: Gafford, Lively, Morant, Bane, Aldama, Borrego

The Mavericks, who hold the ninth spot in the Western Conference, are getting healthy just in time for a possible postseason berth.

Center Daniel Gafford (right knee sprain) has been upgraded to probable for Monday’s matchup against the Nets, Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal tweets. Dereck Lively (right ankle stress fracture) is considered questionable to play.

As we noted on Saturday, Gafford, who has shared starting duties with Lively this season, sustained a Grade 3 MCL sprain in his right knee on February 10 and has been on the shelf for the Mavericks’ past 21 games. Lively hasn’t played since January 14, having suffered a stress fracture in his right ankle.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

  • Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant is no longer listed on the injury report, Will Guillory of The Athletic tweets. Memphis faces the red-hot Celtics on Monday. Morant missed two weeks of action due to a hamstring injury before returning on Saturday, when he racked up 22 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in 31 minutes in a loss to the Lakers.
  • Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane said there’s no lingering effects from his altercation with teammate Santi Aldama during the team’s win over Utah on Tuesday. Bane shoved Aldama during a timeout and reportedly called out the forward for his defensive effort. “Two competitors,” Bane told Jonah Dylan of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “We’re scratching and clawing against a Utah team on the road. We’re trying to push each other to be better. And that was pretty much that. I probably took it too far. I love Santi. He was in my wedding, I’ll be in his wedding. We talked right on the bench right after, hugged it out in the locker room and everything’s great.”
  • In an ironic twist, James Borrego filled in for head coach Willie Green on Sunday when the Pelicans faced for Hornets, Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer tweets. Green missed the contest due to personal reasons. Borrego was Charlotte’s head coach from 2018-22.

Grizzlies Players React To ‘Surprising’ Coaching Change

Desmond Bane and the Grizzlies‘ other on-court leaders held a players-only meeting after Saturday’s shootaround to discuss the team’s decision to fire head coach Taylor Jenkins, who was replaced on an interim basis by Tuomas Iisalo, writes William Guillory of The Athletic.

The challenge now is finding a way to move forward with the regular season nearly over — Memphis only has eight games remaining on its schedule.

I just wanted them to get out all their raw emotions. Don’t hold nothing back. Let it all out, and that way we can truly move forward,” Bane said. “I told them we have a really talented group and we can still do some special things. Tuomas is a really smart guy, and we should buy into what he’s trying to do, and then see what we can do these last few games and beyond.”

Star point guard Ja Morant, who returned to action on Saturday against the Lakers after missing the past six games with a hamstring strain, admitted he found the news difficult to digest.

It’s tough for me. I’ve had Coach Taylor since I got here. Everything I’ve done in a Grizzlies jersey has pretty much been under him,” Morant said after the game. “It’s my first time really experiencing a coach leaving since I’ve been hooping. It was a lot to process. With the timing, it’s just tough. We had to quickly turn the page.”

That’s my dog. That will forever be my dog,” Jaren Jackson Jr. said of Jenkins, per Wendell Shepherd Jr. of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. “It was surprising. It would have been surprising at any point. He had a great impact while he was here. He’s gonna be one of the more sought-after coaches in his journey elsewhere and deservedly so.”

The players realize that their poor results since the All-Star break likely contributed to Jenkins’ dismissal. The Grizzlies have now lost 10 straight games against teams with winning records, Guillory notes, including dropping Saturday’s contest to Los Angeles.

It’s on us for sure,” Bane said, according to Shepherd. “We’re the five players out there, Coach didn’t shoot one shot. A lot of times, coaches end up taking the fall, but ultimately it’s the players. … I think we all were (shocked). We gotta win basketball games at the end of the day.”

Here are a few more notes on the Grizzlies:

  • In his first game in 15 days, Morant recorded 22 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in 31 minutes, though he shot just 9-of-23 from the field. After the loss, he discussed the hamstring injury which caused his latest absence, tweets Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. “Obviously being out a stretch, for me, it be tough,” Morant said. “I be wanting to be out there on the floor. … Sometimes you just got to be smart about it. I don’t want too much stuff lingering when it comes time to lock in for good.”
  • Prior to Saturday’s game, Iisalo acknowledged the challenging situation he’s been put in to close out the season, describing it as a “scramble” to get adjusted, per Guillory. He also said “no big changes are coming” to the team’s on-court approach. As Guillory observes, clearly head of basketball operations Zach Kleiman was looking for a spark to finish out 2024/25, but it’s hard to see how Iisalo’s performance can reasonably be evaluated given the truncated timeline.
  • Along those same lines, Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian (subscription required) examines whether the coaching change came too late in the season. Iisalo has an impressive international résumé, but it will be extremely difficult to try and turn the tide of the season with only a couple of weeks left in the regular season. The Grizzlies are currently 44-30, the No. 5 seed in the West, but have gone just 8-12 since the All-Star break and have a pretty tough schedule over their final eight games.