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Grizzlies trading guard Desmond Bane to Magic in blockbuster deal
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- Grizzlies trading guard Desmond Bane to Magic in blockbuster deal
The Memphis Grizzlies have agreed to trade guard Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic in exchange for guards Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cole Anthony , as well as four unprotected first-round picks and one first-round pick swap, the teams announced Sunday.
Memphis will also receive Orlando's first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, No. 16 overall, plus the Phoenix Suns ' first-round pick in 2026, and the 2028 and 2030 unprotected first-round selections.
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"We are very thrilled to welcome Desmond to the Orlando Magic family," Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman said in a statement. "Over his five years in the NBA, Desmond has distinguished himself as one of the elite guards in our league, and we look forward to his shooting, IQ and wide-ranging skill set in helping our team take a step forward. Desmond's character is held in high regard across the league and we believe he will fit seamlessly with our existing players both on and off the court."
The 26-year-old Bane just completed his fifth NBA season, where he averaged 19.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists for a Memphis team that finished 48-34 and was swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs.
Orlando is an up-and-coming team in the Eastern Conference led by All-Star forward Paolo Banchero and forward Franz Wagner , but the Magic have been eliminated in the postseason's first round in each of the past two years. The Magic desperately needed outside shooting, and they get that in Bane, who shot 39.2% from beyond the arc. Orlando was the NBA's worst 3-point team, hitting only 31.8% from downtown, and ranked 27th in overall field goal percentage.
Bane also made 51% of his open catch-and-shoot jumpers this season, while the Magic finished last in that category, making 35%.
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Pope is a two-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets . He averaged 8.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists for Orlando last season. Anthony, 25, was a first-round pick by the Magic in 2020, and he averaged a career-low 9.4 points in 67 games during the 2024-25 season.
(This story has been updated with more information.)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Desmond Bane trade: Grizzlies guard to Magic for players, picks
