Magic Boss Issues Strong Statement After Desmond Bane Trade

the Orlando Magic acquired 26-year-old sharpshooter Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday in exchange for veteran wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four unprotected first-round picks (2025 No. 16 overall, 2026 via Phoenix, 2028 and 2030) and a 2029 first-round pick swap.

The move addressed Orlando’s offensive inconsistencies, as the team finished 27th in offensive rating last season despite ranking second in defensive rating.

Desmond Bane handles the ball as Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort defends.

Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

After the deal was made official, Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman delivered a clear statement on Orlando’s ultimate goal.

“Our goal isn’t to win the East, it’s to win a championship,” he said.

Weltman then highlighted the long-term vision behind the blockbuster move.

“The beauty of this trade is they’re all at the age profile and contract profile that we’ll be able to keep them together for a while,” he said, pointing to a core that combines proven veteran shooting with young All-Star talent locked in long-term.

At the heart of Orlando’s young core sits Paolo Banchero, 22, who emerged as one of the league’s premier two-way forwards in 2024–25. Banchero averaged 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game on 45.2% shooting, including 32.0% from three, over 46 games during the regular season.

Standing beside him is Franz Wagner, 23, whose 2024–25 campaign featured 24.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game, shooting 46.3% overall and 29.5% from deep in 60 games. 

Into that potent young pairing steps Bane, fresh off a season where he averaged 19.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game across 69 outings. He connected on 48.4% of his field-goal attempts, 39.2% of his threes (6.1 attempts per game) and 89.4% of his free throws. Locked into a five-year, $197 million extension that runs through 2028–29, Bane adds elite spacing and secondary creation to a roster that ranked struggled offensively.