Grizzlies Trade Desmond Bane to Orlando for Four Unprotected First-Round Picks

Key facts

• Desmond Bane was traded from Memphis to Orlando on June 15, 2025.
• The Grizzlies received four unprotected first-round picks (2025, 2026, 2028, 2030), a 2027 pick swap, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Cole Anthony.
• Bane posted a career-high 7.4 win shares in 2025-26, ranking 27th in the NBA.
• Bane's five-year, $197 million deal was deemed too expensive for a third option.
• The 2026 NBA draft class is considered potentially historic, headlined by AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cameron Boozer.
• Orlando's 2026 pick is the 16th overall selection.
• ESPN and The Ringer both project Memphis to select Washington freshman Hannes Steinbach at 16.
• Steinbach averages 18.5 points and 11.8 rebounds per game but faces concerns about positional fit.

A Blockbuster Deal Reshapes Two Franchises

On June 15, 2025, the Memphis Grizzlies sent Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic in a trade that fundamentally altered the trajectory of both organizations. In exchange for their starting guard, Memphis received four unprotected first-round picks — in 2025, 2026, 2028, and 2030 — along with a first-round pick swap in 2027, veteran wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and guard Cole Anthony. The deal was driven by salary cap constraints and roster construction priorities. Bane was in the second year of a five-year, $197 million contract, a steep price for a player who, while highly productive, was the team's third option behind Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. The Grizzlies' front office, led by general manager Zach Kleiman, determined that shedding that contract while acquiring a historic haul of draft capital was the prudent long-term move.

Bane's Performance and Value

Despite the trade, Bane has proven his worth in Orlando, helping the Magic push deep into the playoffs. Over his career, excluding an injury-riddled 2023-24 season and his rookie year, Bane has averaged a 41st-place finish in the NBA in Basketball Reference win shares. In 2025-26, he posted a career-high 7.4 win shares, ranking 27th in the league — placing him firmly in the top 10 percent of all players. That top-10-percent standing implies that in a typical draft class, only about six players out of 60 drafted will reach Bane's level. Historically, NBA draft classes produce approximately three to five All-Stars, with legendary classes like 1984, 1996, and 2003 producing nine or 10. Bane is not an All-Star, but his production places him in a tier just below that elite group.

The 2026 Draft: A Historic Opportunity

The 2026 draft class is widely viewed as potentially historic, headlined by BYU's AJ Dybantsa, Kansas' Darryn Peterson, and Duke's Cameron Boozer. The depth behind them is notable, with one-and-done freshmen like North Carolina's Caleb Wilson, Arkansas' Darius Acuff Jr., Houston's Kingston Flemings, and Illinois' Keaton Wagler all projecting as first-round talents. ESPN and The Ringer share the same nine names in their top 10 rankings: Dybantsa, Peterson, Boozer, Wilson, Acuff, Flemings, Wagler, Arizona freshman Brayden Burries, and Louisville freshman Mikel Brown Jr. This consensus suggests that whoever Memphis drafts with Orlando's pick — currently the 16th overall selection — will not come from the top two or three tiers of prospects.

The Challenge of Replacing Bane

To draft a player better than Bane, Memphis would likely need to land one of the top eight picks in this deep class. The Grizzlies' own lottery selection gives them a better chance, but the Orlando pick at 16 presents a steeper challenge. In a draft that projects to produce more good players than average, the odds of finding a Bane-level talent at that slot are long. Both ESPN's Jeremy Woo and The Ringer's Danny Chau project Memphis to select Washington freshman Hannes Steinbach with the 16th pick. Steinbach's production is hard to ignore — 18.5 points and 11.8 rebounds per game — but scouts are split on him. The main concern is positional fit: he profiles as a tweener between power forward and center and is not a reliable defensive anchor. ESPN's Woo ranks him 14th overall, while The Ringer's J. Kyle Mann slots him at 22.

The Bigger Picture: Asset Accumulation

The Grizzlies did not trade Bane in an attempt to replace him outright with a single draft pick. The decision was a strategic play for long-term flexibility. By moving Bane's contract, Memphis cleared cap space and collected a package of assets that includes three more unprotected first-round picks (2028, 2030) and a 2027 pick swap beyond the 2025 pick used on Yang Hansen. Whether the Grizzlies hit with Orlando's pick or not, this selection is one piece of a much larger puzzle. The trade was about managing the salary cap and apron, maximizing the total asset package Orlando offered, and determining that Bane's contract was not worth the cost given the team's existing roster construction. As one senior official put it, getting out from under that deal while collecting the return Memphis did made plenty of sense.

Outlook: A Calculated Gamble

The Grizzlies are betting that the sum of their draft assets will yield a core that can contend for championships, even if no single pick directly replaces Bane. The 2026 draft class offers a rare opportunity to add multiple high-upside prospects, and Memphis holds two first-round selections — its own lottery pick and Orlando's 16th overall. But the odds are daunting. Drafting a player better than Bane, who ranks in the top 10 percent of the league, requires not just a deep class but also exceptional scouting and a bit of luck. The Grizzlies have positioned themselves to take that swing, but the outcome will not be known for years.

The bottom line

• Desmond Bane was traded to Orlando for four unprotected first-round picks, a pick swap, Caldwell-Pope, and Anthony.
• Bane ranks in the top 10 percent of NBA players by win shares, making him a difficult player to replace via draft.
• The 2026 draft class is considered historic, with nine consensus top-10 prospects.
• Memphis holds the 16th pick from Orlando, which likely falls outside the top two tiers of prospects.
• The trade was driven by salary cap management, not a desire to replace Bane immediately.
• The Grizzlies' long-term strategy relies on accumulating multiple draft assets rather than a single replacement.