Magic Pull Off Desmond Bane Blockbuster After LaMelo Ball Rumors

The Orlando Magic have made strides toward being a contender and took another step forward on Sunday.

The Memphis Grizzlies traded Desmond Bane to the Magic for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four first-round picks and a first-round pick swap, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. This comes after Charlotte Hornets All-Star LaMelo Ball was rumored as a possible addition in Orlando.

Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report suggested a change for the Magic with Ball being paired with a young core group of players. The Hornets would've received Suggs, Jett Howard and the No. 16 pick for the star point guard. "(Ball's) playmaking would help Orlando, but the bigger boost he could provide may be on the shooting front. His three-point percentage plummeted to 33.9 in 2024-25, but getting up more than 10 per game would change the geometry of the floor for the Magic," Bailey wrote last week.

However, with the blockbuster Bane-KCP swap, don't count on a trip to Orlando being in LaMelo's immediate future, unless he's going to Disney World. Bane will fit well alongside the duo of Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero. They're all young and could develop as a Big 3 together.

Ball's future in Charlotte has been a hot topic during the offseason. He signed a five-year, $204 million contract running through 2029. But are NBA teams turned off by Ball's injury history on top of the max deal? Last season, he was limited to 47 games and has yet to play a full season in his NBA career.

The Hornets' intention will be made clear over the next couple weeks with the 2025 NBA Draft on the horizon. Whether Ball will be in the QC next year remains to be seen at this point.