Orlando Magic on Desmond Bane trade: ‘We need to start winning now’
WHAT HAPPENED. WELL, THE ORLANDO MAGIC USED FATHER’S DAY TO FINALIZE A BIG TIME MOVE, HOPING TO TAKE A BIG STEP FORWARD AS A FRANCHISE. BE A CONTENDER, A REAL ONE, THOUGH, COST THE MAGIC A LOT TO GET THIS DEAL DONE. WESH SPORTS DIRECTOR DARREN SOLIS JOINS US NOW. DARREN, FOUR FIRST ROUND PICKS ON TOP OF SENDING TWO PLAYERS TO MEMPHIS FOR ONE GUY. DESMOND BANE DIDN’T COME CHEAP TO THE MAGIC, BUT THIS HAS THE FRONT OFFICE TALKING ABOUT WINNING CHAMPIONSHIPS. KEEP IN MIND THE MAGIC HAVEN’T WON A PLAYOFF SERIES IN 15 YEARS, BUT THEY BELIEVE THAT’S THE BASELINE FOR WHAT’S TO COME IN THE NEAR FUTURE. BAINES, A SHOOTING GUARD FROM THE MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES. HE’S YOUNG AND HE’S ACCURATE FROM THREE POINT RANGE. THAT’S TWO THINGS THE MAGIC LOVE ABOUT IT. THEY ALSO DIDN’T HAVE TO GIVE UP ANY OF THEIR CORE PLAYERS PAOLO BANCHERO, FRANZ WAGNER, JALEN SUGGS STILL AROUND. AND THEY’RE ALL AROUND THE SAME AGE. THE FRONT OFFICE IS HOPING BANE IS THE MISSING PIECE. HE’S JUST ABOUT TO TURN 27 AND SO IF WE ARE A GOOD TEAM, THEN WE HOPE TO BE A GOOD TEAM FOR A WHILE. THIS IS WHAT THE NBA IS ABOUT, RIGHT? IT’S BETTING ON YOURSELF. IT’S PUTTING PRESSURE ON YOURSELF. IT’S IT’S, YOU KNOW, ELEVATING YOUR STANDARD AND ALL THE MAGIC. YEAH. AS STU SAID, FOUR FIRST ROUND PICKS ALONG WITH COLE ANTHONY AND KENTAVIOUS CALDWELL POPE. BUT THEY ALSO GOT AWAY FROM KCP’S CONTRACT WHICH IS A WIN. THE MAGIC TRULY BELIEVE THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF AN ERA WHERE THEY CAN CONTEND FOR CHAMPIONSHIPS. WE TALKED WITH JEFF WELTMAN, THE PRESIDENT OF BASKETBALL OPERATIONS, FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES TODAY. HE LIKES THIS GUY SO MUCH. HE SAID, IF YOU COULD START FROM SCRATCH, DESMOND BANE IS ALMOST EXACTLY WHO YOU DESIGN. THAT’
Orlando Magic on Desmond Bane trade: ‘We need to start winning now’
Updated: 9:41 PM EDT Jun 16, 2025
Orlando Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman spoke with reporters on Monday about last weekend’s trade, which resulted in the arrival of Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies. The Magic sent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, and a slew of first-round draft picks to Memphis in exchange for Bane. “We feel that we’re betting on ourselves, we feel like we’re going to be a good team,” Weltman said on the trade. “We feel that the other unique thing about Desmond being available to obtain in a trade is the fact that he’s just about to turn 27 and so if we are a good team then we hope to be good team for a while because our age profile that’s most highly paid are ages 23 to 27.” The Magic finished last season with a 41-41 record, squeaking into the NBA playoffs via the play-in game before losing to the Boston Celtics in the first round. “We need to start winning now, and hopefully this gets us to another level,” Weltman said. Bane will be officially introduced as an Orlando Magic player on Tuesday afternoon.
Orlando Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman spoke with reporters on Monday about last weekend’s trade, which resulted in the arrival of Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Magic sent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, and a slew of first-round draft picks to Memphis in exchange for Bane.
“We feel that we’re betting on ourselves, we feel like we’re going to be a good team,” Weltman said on the trade. “We feel that the other unique thing about Desmond being available to obtain in a trade is the fact that he’s just about to turn 27 and so if we are a good team then we hope to be good team for a while because our age profile that’s most highly paid are ages 23 to 27.”
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“This is what the NBA is about right? It’s betting on yourself, it’s putting pressure on yourself.”
I asked Jeff Weltman how the Magic determined the value of those FOUR first round picks they gave up in that trade for Desmond Bane. #MagicTogether
VIDEO: pic.twitter.com/b9PNebc218
— Daren Stoltzfus WESH (@DarenStoltzfus) June 16, 2025
The Magic finished last season with a 41-41 record, squeaking into the NBA playoffs via the play-in game before losing to the Boston Celtics in the first round.
“We need to start winning now, and hopefully this gets us to another level,” Weltman said.
Bane will be officially introduced as an Orlando Magic player on Tuesday afternoon.