Latest news with #JeffWeltman
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Magic Facing Backlash for Blockbuster Desmond Bane Trade
Magic Facing Backlash for Blockbuster Desmond Bane Trade originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Orlando Magic are one of the young teams in the league, and they've been able to see improvements in the past two seasons. They've made the postseason both years, but have also been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. Coming into the offseason, Magic president Jeff Weltman let it know that he was ready for the team to take the next step, and if that meant shaking things up on the roster, that's what he would do. Advertisement So far, Weltman has kept his word, and on Sunday morning, the Magic acquired Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four first-round picks and a pick swap. Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane dribbles around a screen set by forward Brandon Clarke (15) on Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (4).Petre Thomas-Imagn Images Though it seemed like a good trade for the Magic, some people can't believe that they gave up that much to acquire Bane. "Luka only got one first-round pick," one user wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "Why would they trade that for bane," another user wrote. "Giannis literally is not tradable if thats what Bane costs," a third user wrote. On the other hand, there were some people that understood why the Magic made the trade. Advertisement "Most 'first-round picks' aren't all that valuable. Outside the top 10, you're drafting role players for the most part. Want to win now? Trade those picks to teams who over value non-lottery firsts to get real talent. You can always backfill those spots with win-now guys," a user wrote. If Bane ends up being a great fit for the Magic and they make a deep playoff run, the trade will be justified. If the Magic fail to exceed expectations, a lot of people will look at the trade as an overpay. Related: Magic Trade for $197 Million Star, Swap Underperforming $66 Million Vet Plus Haul This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Grizzlies trade Desmond Bane to Magic for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, 4 first-round picks
The Memphis Grizzlies are trading Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony and several draft picks, ESPN's Shams Charania first reported. In addition to Caldwell-Pope and Anthony, the Grizzlies will receive four unprotected first-round picks and one first-round pick swap. Memphis will get the No. 16 selection in the 2025 NBA Draft, a 2026 first-rounder (which originally belonged to the Phoenix Suns) and unprotected first-round picks in 2028 and 2030. The pick swap is for 2029 and will be lightly protected. Advertisement The Magic officially confirmed the trade on Sunday afternoon. '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," Orlando president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said in a statement. "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 Magic now have a new-look roster to go with their new uniforms for next season. Orlando finished 41-41 last season, which put them seventh in the standings and in the four-team play-in tournament. With this deal, the Magic bolster their chances to make an upward move in an Eastern Conference that will have some uncertainty next season. The Boston Celtics will likely be diminished with Jayson Tatum's torn Achilles injury along with whatever moves the team might make to maneuver the salary cap. The Milwaukee Bucks may trade Giannis Antetokounmpo, but will be without Damian Lillard for nearly all of next season (also due to an Achilles tear) and face payroll concerns with pending free agents Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis. Advertisement Bane, who turns 26 on June 25, has averaged 17.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists while shooting 41% on 3-pointers during his NBA career. The five-year veteran provides a third scorer to join Paolo Banchero (25.9 ppg) and Franz Wagner (24.2 ppg), both of whom missed significant time with oblique injuries. Jalen Suggs (16.2 ppg) also missed the final three months of the season with a left knee injury. Perhaps more importantly, Bane is signed for another four seasons with the five-year, $207 million extension he signed before the 2023-24 campaign. The Magic potentially have a core in place for multiple seasons. Bane appears to be happy about the trade, judging from his post on social media. At the very least, he's excited about the Florida weather. Caldwell-Pope, 32, moves to the sixth team of his 12-year NBA career. Joining the Magic as a free agent last season, he scored 8.7 points per game and shot 34.2% on 3s. He's won NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets. Anthony, 25, was Orlando's 2020 first-round pick (No. 15 overall) and averaged 9.8 points per game, shooting 35% from long range.
NBC Sports
15 hours ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Report: Orlando acquires Desmond Bane from Memphis for Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four firsts
Orlando Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman said this offseason it was time to 'turn the page' on the Magic's rebuild and become a win-now team. On Sunday he did just that, agreeing to a trade that is all-in: Memphis is trading guard Desmond Bane to Orlando for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four unprotected first-round picks and one first-round pick swap, reports Shams Charania of ESPN. The first reaction to this trade: Bane is a perfect fit for what Orlando needs, but that is a very steep price to pay. Orlando needs shooting more than anything and Bane brings that, knocking down 39.2% of his 3-pointers last season, and for his career is a 41% shooter from beyond the arc. More than just a gunner, Bane was a secondary shot creator in Memphis who averaged 19.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists a game last season. Put him next to a healthy Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner and the Magic offense should make a leap from its 27th-in-the-league ranking a year ago, especially with Banchero and Wagner setting screens for Bane (that will be very difficult to defend). Bane is also a solid defender who will fit in with the Magic's elite unit on that end. Weltman and Orlando surveyed the East, saw that it feels more wide open in the wake of the Jayson Tatum and Damian Lillard injuries, and decided now was the time to push their chips into the middle of the table. Orlando could well be a top-four team in the East next season and a playoff threat. What is jaw-dropping about the trade is the four unprotected first-round picks. That's a lot to surrender for a player who has never been an All-Star before, especially in a trade where the Magic had to throw in two quality veterans. In Memphis, it feels like more moves are on the way, the four picks give them flexibility to make future trades to lower payroll, clearing the way for a massive Jaren Jackson Jr. extension this summer. Or, they could explore trades for Jackson and/or Ja Morant and consider a total reset (don't bet on it, but it's something to watch). \While Bane played a key role in the offense when Morant has been out, Caldwell-Pope steps in as a rock-solid starter at the two and Anthony can be a good first guard off the bench for the Grizzlies. However, it's the picks that give them flexibility to make future trades or use those picks to add depth over time.
