For weeks, the basketball world anticipated a major trade. However, the blockbuster deal that unfolded on Sunday caught many by surprise.
The unexpected move sent Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four first-round draft picks, and a future pick swap.
Several factors made this Father`s Day morning trade astonishing, chief among them being that it didn`t involve Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant.
Yet, this was just one of many shocks felt throughout the NBA. Here`s a look at how league insiders are reacting to this early, impactful transaction, which is poised to have significant ripple effects.
Why Orlando Made the Move
A popular trivia question in NBA circles centered on the last player the Magic actively acquired via trade. Before Sunday, the answer was Markelle Fultz, obtained in a 2019 deadline deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Ending years of relative inactivity, Orlando decisively invested significant assets, clearly viewing Bane as the piece capable of elevating the franchise back to contention in the East. It had been 15 years since the Magic last won a playoff series. Conversations with sources around the league revealed mixed opinions on whether Bane`s arrival will change that.
Some see Bane as an ideal fit – an off-guard who defends effectively and boasts a career 3-point shooting percentage of 41%. This is a crucial addition, given the Magic`s league-worst 31.7% from deep this past season.
“He`ll be a good fit,” an assistant coach commented. “There aren`t many players you`d want as your third option who can perform at his level.”
Others questioned the substantial cost, encompassing both Bane`s contract ($163 million over four years) and the draft capital surrendered to acquire him.
“[The Grizzlies] did that extension before the new second apron rules kicked in, and they started looking at that deal and liking it less,” one scout observed. “Really good guy, good player, but [I] never considered him a max player.”
Sources indicated that several teams inquired about Bane, but none pursued him as aggressively as Orlando.
It`s easy to understand Orlando`s motivation. Bane is expected to pair perfectly in the backcourt with Jalen Suggs, known as one of the league`s top defenders, adding much-needed shooting and shot creation to a roster featuring promising talents Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.
Why Memphis Made the Move
Six weeks prior, Grizzlies General Manager Zack Kleiman was direct when assessing his team`s championship window after being swept in the first round by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“I don`t think we can look back at this series and say, `Oh we`re close,`” Kleiman stated to reporters at his end-of-season press conference in Memphis.
“We`re not.”
By trading Bane, a longtime core piece alongside Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., Kleiman acted on that assessment.
However, more star trades are not anticipated. Sources told ESPN that the Grizzlies do not plan to trade either of their remaining franchise cornerstones. The team has dedicated months to clearing salary cap space to facilitate a renegotiation and extension of Jaren Jackson Jr.`s contract this offseason, preventing him from reaching free agency in 2026. Sources believe an extension is likely, and the Bane trade provides Memphis flexibility to offer Jackson even more on that potential deal, securing his long-term commitment.
Furthermore, the team`s direction under coach Tuomas Iisalo, who favors a fast-paced system emphasizing pick-and-roll and 3-point shooting, is designed to maximize Ja Morant`s strengths.
Memphis sources believe Jaylen Wells, who finished third in Rookie of the Year voting last season as a second-round pick, can develop into a long-term starter on the wing. Among the package of picks received in the trade, the most appealing is the less favorable of Phoenix`s and Washington`s 2025 first-rounders – a pick highly likely to land in the lottery and potentially within the top 10.
The Grizzlies now feel they have various avenues to improve and continue their push to contend in the Western Conference. This required taking an immediate step backward with the goal of taking multiple steps forward in the future.
Impact on the Kevin Durant Trade Saga
Following the Bane deal on Sunday, the universal sentiment among several sources is that any draft packages offered to Phoenix for Kevin Durant are unlikely to surpass the haul Memphis received for Bane, a player who has not yet made an All-Star team.
“Everyone has to discard their prior precedents and baselines,” an executive remarked, referencing both the Bane trade and the five first-round picks the New York Knicks traded for Mikal Bridges last year as deals that don`t dictate Durant`s proper valuation.
“Those deals don`t mean Durant is worth 12 firsts now,” they added.
But what, precisely, *is* Durant`s worth? This remains the central question for people around the league as the situation unfolds.
As ESPN`s Shams Charania reported Saturday night, Durant is reportedly willing to sign a contract extension with three teams: the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, and Miami Heat. However, sources within the league continue to discuss the Minnesota Timberwolves as another potential destination for Durant.
What seems clear is that the trade package for Durant will not approach the massive return the Brooklyn Nets received for him 2½ years ago. That prior deal was finalized within 24 hours of Mat Ishbia taking control of the Suns. How Ishbia reacts to the current market conditions will be telling and could significantly influence the outcome of this process.
Orlando`s Opportunity in the East, and How This Deal Affects Others
This trade represents the latest consequence of the devastating Achilles tendon tear suffered by Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum during the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks.
There is reason for optimism regarding Tatum`s full recovery; the surgeon who performed his procedure also repaired Durant`s Achilles in 2019. However, in the short term, the injury almost certainly removes Boston as the dominant force in the East for the 2025-26 season, a position they`ve held for several years.
This shift has created an opportunity for other teams to capitalize, and Orlando was the first to strike.
“For them, they had to give themselves a chance,” one executive stated. “They`ve made the playoffs two years consecutively and experienced first-round exits, and they look around and see a young core trying to figure out how to take the next step.”
“Theoretically, midway through the past season, you might have grouped Indiana with them, thinking neither could reach the top, and Cleveland and Boston were clearly the two best teams.”
“But with Boston unlikely to be at full strength next year, it will be fascinating to observe the extent of the `win-now` approach, as every team will believe they can replicate what Indiana just achieved.”
Orlando`s move could prompt other teams to accelerate their plans this summer. We`ve already seen the Knicks part ways with Tom Thibodeau after losing in the conference finals. The Celtics face significant roster uncertainty. The Pistons, following an encouraging playoff showing, might create cap space to pursue an impact player.
The Philadelphia 76ers believe they can compete if their key players are healthy. The Cleveland Cavaliers, coming off a 64-win season, will return their core. And the question surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo`s future still looms over Milwaukee.
“It`s become much more unpredictable, and owners will perceive it that way,” the executive commented. “But the Magic could still lose in the first round. So could the Knicks. So could all of these teams.”
Why the Draft Could Be the Offseason`s Most Important Day
One of the four draft picks Memphis received in the Bane trade is the No. 16 selection in this month`s NBA draft. With a Kevin Durant trade likely to be completed before this year`s draft, sources indicate that some 2025 draft capital is expected to be included in that deal.
In a summer characterized by very limited team salary cap space – reportedly, only the rebuilding Brooklyn Nets are projected to have significant cap flexibility, according to ESPN`s Bobby Marks – and a shallow free agent class, several sources predict that June 25th, the date of the first round of the draft, will be the busiest day of the offseason.
The draft is the primary opportunity for teams to significantly alter their rosters and improve, potentially the only time they can do so effectively given the market constraints afterward. With teams looking to shed salary or simply reshuffle after a tumultuous few months around the league, there`s no shortage of organizations hoping to make a splash. “It just feels like there is going to be more activity than even normally is,” an executive stated.
Coupled with a draft class featuring two clear top prospects in Cooper Flagg (expected No. 1) and Dylan Harper (expected No. 2), and a deep pool of other strong talents, it should make for a highly entertaining evening at Brooklyn`s Barclays Center.
