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Magic rumors: Desmond Bane viewed as ‘perfect fit,’ but there’s a catch
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- Magic rumors: Desmond Bane viewed as ‘perfect fit,’ but there’s a catch
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The post Magic rumors: Desmond Bane viewed as 'perfect fit,' but there's a catch appeared first on ClutchPoints .
The Orlando Magic paid what some believe to be a hefty price to acquire Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies , but how much the Magic gave up would seemingly indicate how valuable they believe Bane to be.
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Orlando traded to Memphis Cole Anthony, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope , four first-round draft picks (three unprotected and the 16th overall selection later this month), as well as a top-two protected first-round draft pick swap in 2029. In exchange, the Magic got Bane, who will now play alongside Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner and, Orlando hopes, give the team a perimeter threat they desperately needed.
"Some regard Bane as a perfect fit — an off guard who can defend and is a career 41% 3-point shooter. The Magic shot 31.7% from deep this season, by far the worst clip in the NBA," ESPN's Tim Bontemps wrote.
"'He'll be a good fit,' one assistant coach told ESPN. '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.'"
In addition to the haul Memphis got for Bane, some criticized the Magic for taking on Bane because of his contract. Bane, who turns 27 later this month, just completed the first season of a five-year $197.2 million extension, leaving Orlando on the hook for the remaining $163.2 million over the next four years. Bane will earn $36.7 million this season, $39.4 million next year, $42.2 million in 2027-28, and $44.9 million in 2028-29, after which he will become an unrestricted free agent.
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"[The Grizzlies] did that extension before the new second apron rules kicked in and they were looking at that deal and liking it less," one scout said, according to ESPN's Bontemps. "Really good guy, good player, but [I] never thought of him as a max guy."
In general, Orlando has a lot of money already tied up (or soon will be) to their top four players: Banchero, Bane, Wagner, and Jalen Suggs . Each of the latter trio has already inked extensions, with Bane locked in until 2029 and Wagner and Suggs until 2030. Suggs's five-year, $150.5 million extension begins this year, as does Wagner's five-year deal that is expected to total around $224 million. Banchero, who becomes extension-eligible as of July 1, is expected to sign a max deal that could be worth more than $265 million if he qualifies for the 'supermax'.
The Magic, who finished 41-41 this past season, have not won a playoff series since 2010.
Related: Magic rumors: Insider makes long-term 'break-up' trade prediction after Desmond Bane deal
Related: NBA rumors: Grizzlies tried in recent years to make Franz Wagner trade with Magic
