Blockbuster 1-for-7 trade rating: Grizzlies get huge returns Rating A- Magic bring in Bane to fill in the shortcomings Rating B

On June 16, Beijing time, the Grizzlies and Magic completed a blockbuster 1-for-7 deal. The Grizzlies unexpectedly sent Bane to the Magic in exchange for Pope, Cole Anthony, four unprotected first-rounders and one first-round swap pick.

The draft assets sent by the Magic are this year's first-round pick No. 16, the 2026 first-round pick (from the Suns/Wizards, including swap rights), the 2028 first-round, the 2030 first-round, and the 2029 first-round swap rights (the first two picks are protected).

The Magic hope Bane can be the right-hand man of Banchero and Wagner Jr. The Athletic, a well-known American media, then announced the rating of the 1-for-7 deal -

Magic bring in Bane to fill the void in Rating B

From a basketball perspective, Bane can fill in the void for the Magic and strike a good balance. He's an excellent outside shooter, strong defensively, and has grown into a great playmaker at the shooting guard position. The Magic are in desperate need of projection and playmaking, and with him, they don't have to sacrifice defensively.

Excluding his rookie season, Bane averaged 20.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.1 steals per game in his four-year career while shooting 47.2%/40.7%/88.7% from the field. When Morant was sidelined, he was also impressive. He has averaged more than five assists per game over the past two seasons, showing that he is improving as a passer.

Bane will be the player who will really open up the space, creating room for Banchero and Wagner Jr. to operate. He can play with any of them in two, acting as both an initiator and a coverer. If the trio were to form the backcourt with either Suggs or Blake, and a reliable interior player, such a lineup would make the Magic a threat on both ends of the floor. For a team that lacked offensive strength last season, Bane will be a big help.

However, The Athletic also pointed out that the concern about the Magic's deal is the cost. The departures of Pope and Anthony aren't big losses, they're good veterans, but Bane is better than both of those guys in the lineup. However, paying for Bane's four first-round picks and one first-round swap is too much for the draft.

Giving away four first-round picks for a player who's been a good but never All-Star and doesn't win any awards other than the All-Rookie Team seems like a bit of a loss. And with the exception of that lightly protected pick swap, all the other picks are unprotected. The Magic must be pretty sure that Bane can put them among the top teams in the East.

The competitive landscape in the east is more open than most people expected. Injuries to the Bucks and Celtics have changed a lot of the situation, and the Cavaliers' poor exit has left other teams feeling like they could fall for it. The Knicks' coaching efforts could stall their momentum. The Magic have reason to look at their roster and believe they are much better than the Pistons (depending on how they operate this summer) and not far behind the Pacers (who could potentially become NBA champions this season).

At the same time, this comes at a high cost in terms of money. Bane will earn about $162 million over the next four seasons. Bane, Wagner Jr. and Suggs alone will have the Magic's salary of more than $100 million over the next four seasons. Banchero hasn't even been offered a contract extension yet, but it's likely that an agreement will be reached in the coming months, with the 2025-26 season coming into effect. With these four men on contract, the Magic will have to start worrying about the first and second lines in the collective bargaining agreement.

Until then, maybe they have a brief chance to do something like the Thunder with a young roster. While the exact pattern isn't exactly the same, and the cost is currently higher in terms of draft picks and funding, they're betting on Bane in the hope that he can make the team a powerhouse in the East.

Magic Trading Rating: B

Grizzlies reap huge returnsRated A-

Before we get into the basketball aspect on the court, let's talk about the draft picks the Grizzlies received. 4 unprotected first-round picks + 1 lightly protected first-round swap right, such a draft asset return is quite a lot.

As for the basketball level, the Grizzlies have declined on the court. Bane is very important to them, and with or without Morant, he is at the heart of the team's operations. Pope is a good veteran who can bring some defense and outside shooting to the team, but he's nowhere near Bane in terms of scoring and playmaking. They will be hoping that Anthony can make up for that and Anthony will be a very good backup defender for them. The Grizzlies have opted for more roster depth, which has been one of the strengths of this team this era.

They also opted for more flexibility. The Grizzlies' roster with Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Bane as the Big Three may have reached its ceiling. And they're about to face Jackson's contract extension, which is going to be tricky. Considering his defense and accolades, he's likely to be a top-paid player, and his scoring ability has improved. But in the era of the second tyrant line, it was not easy to put such a contract in the books. The good news is that Jackson wasn't named to the All-NBA team and therefore doesn't qualify for a super-max salary extension, which gives them a little respite as it could be an awkward negotiation.

The Grizzlies did a sort of reset of the team's salary structure by sending Bane away. While there will be sacrifices on the pitch at the moment, now they can figure out what this team will look like and how to build the squad under Isalo. They can do that while acquiring all of this draft capital, which can be used as a cost-effective roster addition (the team is very good at spotting young talent) or in a trade that will help Morant and Jackson. It's a step back for now, but it's a good move to look to the future.

Grizzly Bear Trading Rating: A-