Even before the NBA Finals wrap up, the offseason has kicked off in a big way. According to ESPN Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania, Desmond Bane has been traded from the Memphis Grizzlies to the Orlando Magic for four first-round picks, a first-round swap, Cole Anthony, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. As the Spurs remain thoroughly in the mix for Kevin Durant, this trade paints a picture of how a potential deal might go or perhaps scare them from doing it entirely.
BREAKING: The Memphis Grizzlies are trading Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four unprotected first-round picks and one first-round pick swap, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/UcQnmHbgZb
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 15, 2025
The Desmond Bane Trade Changes the Spurs’ Outlook on Kevin Durant
The Orlando Magic Set This Year’s Trade Market
The trade market in the NBA is an ever-changing sphere of confusion. One day, it seems great players are traded for pennies, and the next, non-All-Stars are traded for a ransom. Of course, it is all relative, but that doesn’t mean these deals don’t affect the overall landscape.
Bane, who hasn’t achieved anything significant in the NBA, was just traded for a massive haul. Four first-round picks, with a valued Suns pick included, is nothing to ignore. This trade is a major statement that has set the tone for many of the projected blockbusters to follow in the highly anticipated offseason. The Spurs should be afraid of how this could influence their quest for Kevin Durant.
How Does This Trade Affect the Kevin Durant Sweepstakes?
If Bane can garner that kind of package, what might that mean for the 15-time All-Star? The Slim Reaper is still in the upper echelon of players and a guaranteed All-Star. He is no Bane. With a projected bidding war going on for his services, his price may have just gotten higher. While Durant is a better player, he’s also 10 years older and on an expiring contract.
The currently expected package of the 14th overall pick and players such as Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell, and Harrison Barnes might not be enough. The players included in the deal will most certainly remain, but the draft capital could shift in the Suns’ favor. Suns management can say, “The Grizzlies got four firsts for Bane, we want more.” It will be hard to refute that statement.
It was reported on Saturday that Durant prefers a trade to the Spurs, Houston Rockets, or Miami Heat. As the Spurs battle teams such as the draft capital-loaded Rockets, they may have to include one of their future picks or one of the Hawks. This is not a favorable turn of events for San Antonio, but that is how the NBA works.
If the Spurs think Durant is their missing piece, they will do whatever it takes to get him. After all, it may be worth it. Durant, alongside Victor Wembanyama and the rest of the cast, would be deadly, but they may need to empty their pockets to get him. Is Durant worth the growing price of getting him, or would they be better off staying put? It is a fascinating dilemma that will continue to develop following the blockbuster deal that happened Sunday afternoon.
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