The Memphis Grizzlies surprised the basketball world by trading Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic on Sunday. While there is no word yet about the Grizzlies entering a full rebuild, The Ringer’s Bill Simmons sarcastically predicted they’ll next trade Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Los Angeles Lakers for a laughable haul.
“Now watch [Rob] Pelinka trade Rui [Hachimura] and a 2032 1st for Jaren Jackson.”
The Grizzlies would never do this trade, of course. Then again, though, we’d have said the same about the Luka Doncic trade, which is what Simmons was referring to here.
Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka managed to acquire Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks for a surprisingly underwhelming package. The Lakers only had to send Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick to the Mavericks.
That was nowhere near enough for a player of Doncic’s caliber. The fact that the Lakers didn’t have to give up their 2031 first-round pick and a promising young talent like Dalton Knecht in this deal, either, was shocking.
Even if Knecht and that pick had been included, many would have still considered this to be a terrible trade for the Mavericks. You just don’t trade a generational talent like Doncic, especially when he didn’t want to leave. Simmons admitted that as a Lakers hater, he was frustrated by the trade and what it meant for the future.
That package for Doncic was so underwhelming that it’s being claimed that the Grizzlies got more for Bane. The package the Magic sent included Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, the 16th pick of the 2025 NBA Draft, the Phoenix Suns‘ 2026 first-round pick, their 2028 and 2030 first-round picks, and a first-round pick swap in 2029.
Now, Davis is a far better player than Caldwell-Pope and Anthony. He is the most valuable asset by far when you compare the two packages, so it might not be all that accurate to suggest the Grizzlies got more for Bane.
Getting back to Jackson, he would be a good addition to the Lakers, provided they don’t have to give up too much. The 25-year-old averaged 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game for the Grizzlies in 2024-25.
The Lakers have been urged to acquire Jackson, as he is the kind of anchor on defense that the team needs. He won DPOY in 2023 and was in the running for the award at one point this season as well.
Bill Simmons Dismissed Suggestions That The Magic Gave Up Too Much For Desmond Bane
While Simmons didn’t like the Doncic trade, he did like this one. He also dismissed any suggestions that the Magic overpaid for Bane on the latest episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast.
“That’s just people that don’t watch basketball,” Simmons stated. “I would do this in a heartbeat. It’s three non-lottery picks, the 16th pick this year, and the Phoenix pick, which is the prize.”
You would think the Magic would be a pretty good team for a while with a core of Bane, Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs. Those 2028 and 2030 picks could well end up falling outside the lottery. If the Suns don’t completely fall apart next season, either, then that 2026 pick wouldn’t be an incredible one, too.
