We had our first true NBA blockbuster deal of the summer on Sunday morning as the Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies pulled off a trade that centered around Desmond Bane. And for the second offseason in a row, a haul of draft picks has changed hands in exchange for a player that has never even made an All-Star team.
Why Are NBA Teams Giving Up So Much Draft Capital In Trades?
Why did the Magic give up so much future capital in order to bring in the 27-year-old Bane? It appears that they are in win-now mode, and have hopes of competing in the Eastern Conference next year. Here are a few reasons why Orlando gave up the capital that they did.
Bane Fills A Huge Need For A Team Desperate For 3 Point Shooters
Since entering the league in 2020, Desmond Bane has been one of the top three point shooters in the NBA. He is just one of three players in the league during that span to make 800+ three pointers at a clip of 40%+, and has made over 43% of his catch-and-shoot attempts in that time.
The Magic are desperate to bring in a guy of that caliber, given that they finished dead last in the league in 3-pointers made and 3-point percentage in 2024-25.
Bane is one of three NBA players with 800 made 3-pointers and 40% 3-point shooting since entering the league in 2020, and has shot 43.2% on catch and shoot 3s in last 5 seasons. He'll be a major boost for the Magic, who ranked last in 3-point field-goal percentage this season.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 15, 2025
Teams Aren’t Valuing Draft Picks Like Fans/Media Do
Perhaps NBA teams aren’t valuing first round picks the way that fans and the media do. In just the last two offseasons, we have seen Desmond Bane and Miles Bridges, two players who have never qualified for an All-Star team, fetch a total of nine first round picks in return for their services.
It appears that franchises around the league simply aren’t viewing future draft capital as being as important as we once thought, and may see even bigger hauls as we get deeper into the summer.
The Orlando Magic just traded FOUR UNPROTECTED first-round picks and one pick swap for Desmond Bane pic.twitter.com/OV5fzp15lI
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 15, 2025
Magic Ready To Compete In A Weakened Eastern Conference
Now might be the perfect time for a team like the Magic to go all in. They have certainly been on the rise lately, as they have won 40+ games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2011, and finished as the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference last year. They are looking to ride the momentum, and might have an easier path than ever in 2025-26.
The Celtics will be without Jayson Tatum for much of the year, and there is a chance that Giannis Antetokounmpo won’t be in the conference next season. The Cavaliers are something of a question mark after their disappointing end to the season, and the Knicks could regress depending on their offseason moves.
So if the Magic don’t hold their future draft picks in high regard, then why not pull the trigger on a guy who can help you win now?
