The Orlando Magic have gambled on Desmond Bane being the missing piece for a team that's been knocking on the door of greatness. Already an elite defensive group, Orlando was desperate for offense and paid four first-round draft picks to bring Bane in and send Kentavious Caldwell-Pope out.
For as loud as the overpay talks currently are, it's hard to overlook how much more value Bane provides than the uncertainty the future could've held.
Bane is one of the most productive and reliable shooting guards in the NBA. Over the past three seasons, he's compiled averages of 21.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.1 steals, and 2.8 three-point field goals made on .477/.394/.883 shooting. That's inevitably resulted in the confidence Bane has in backing himself over unknown commodities.
According to Jason Beade of The Orlando Sentinel, Bane respects the value of draft picks, but believes that the Magic traded for him at the "perfect time" when factoring his quality against the team's roster construction and identity.
"It's time to win. It's pretty much as simple as that. If we do what we're supposed to do ... Not to say those picks weren't valuable, but they would have fallen in place that we've got a lot of young talent here already in the building, and we have a lot of talent at the top of the roster, so I think it's a perfect time for the organization to do what they did."
Giving up four first-round draft picks for a player who has never been an All-Star is certainly an eye-opening move, but Bane hit the nail on the head.
Draft picks are valuable, but Orlando's young core is already in place
Orlando's roster is built around the two-headed monster of 22-year-old All-Star Paolo Banchero and 23-year-old rising star Franz Wagner. The Magic have also invested in 21-year-old 6'7" point guard Anthony Black, 24-year-old defensive stopper Jalen Suggs, and 26-year-old center Wendell Carter Jr.
Orlando is also set on exploring the untapped potential of 21-year-old guard Jett Howard, 22-year-old sharpshooter Caleb Houston, 24-year-old forward Tristan da Silva, and 25-year-old center Goga Bitadze.
That's a captivating core of four proven 26-and-under players, a 21-year-old point guard with clear potential, and four other 25-or-younger contributors who have flashed signs of value. Add Bane, who will turn 27 in on June 25, and the Magic have built a roster flush with youth and upside.
Draft picks should never be written off as meaningless, but for an Orlando team that already has a surplus of players just entering or even years from their respective primes, they weren't a priority.
Instead, the Magic needed to find win-now players who could help the team take the next step.
Orlando has already passed the stage of building for the future
Orlando won 47 games in 2023-24 and overcame extensive injuries to go 41-41 in 2024-25. As such, it's not a team with dreams of being good enough to make the playoffs, but instead one of the best defensive units in the NBA and a squad in the early stages of becoming a postseason mainstay.
By adding Bane, a player who addresses three of their most glaring weaknesses, the Magic have made a statement: They're ready to take the next step toward contending.
Orlando ranked second in the NBA in defensive rating in 2024-25, yet finished with a negative net rating at -0.2. They were dead last in three-point field goals made and percentage, 27th in offensive rating, and 29th in points via guards.
Perhaps four first-round draft picks was a bit of an overpay for Bane, but investing in players who may contribute years down the line wouldn't have helped a team that's ready to make the leap today.
It's also worth noting that Orlando still has the No. 25 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, as well as future first-round selections in 2027, 2029, and 2031. With this in mind, the Magic have committed to winning with two rising stars and a deep core of up-and-coming players already on the roster—and they haven't sacrificed future opportunities to develop talent in the way some have suggested.
If an overpay is what it took to make the leap, so be it.