Orlando Magic Trade KCP, Cole Anthony And Future Draft Picks for $197 Million Star

Bane will enter the second year of his five-year, $197.2 million contract. If the Magic commits, he’ll be playing for the franchise until the 2028-29 NBA season.

Following the trade, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman released a statement welcoming Bane to the organization.

“We are very thrilled to welcome Desmond (Bane) to the Orlando Magic family,” said Weltman. “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. 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 addition of Bane addresses one of the Orlando Magic’s concerns from the 2024-25 season: 3-point shooting. He is one of three players who have over 800 shots from deep since 2020. Orlando finished last in the NBA in shots from downtown, shooting a lowly 31.8% from long range.

An NBA insider believes the Orlando Magic gave up too much for Bane

Acquiring a player like Bane is an upgrade for the Orlando Magic. However, giving up two players and a plethora of future assets seems like too much for some. NBA insider Marc Stein addressed the roster move on the latest edition of “The Stein Line,” where he talked about how the Magic gave up too much.

“The trade is bound to be painted in many corners as an overpay no matter what justification is ultimately offered by the Magic, but the offloading of Caldwell-Pope’s contract was certainly a factor. The Magic signed Caldwell-Pope to a three-year, $66 million deal last summer. Not only did he struggle; Orlando had to shed some significant salary in this move to be able to add another $40 million-a-year player in Bane,” Stein wrote.

“The Magic, so long seen as an ultra-conservative team, just went the other direction in a very dramatic way. Especially when you consider that Banchero is the only player in that foursome to have reached All-Star status.”

The Magic want to contend, and they believe acquiring a better outside shooter would give them the push they need.