For most NBA players, Father’s Day is a time for reflection, family, and maybe even a break from the high-stakes intensity of their careers. But for Desmond Bane, this year’s Father’s Day brought something he never expected: a text message that started warm and ended with heartbreak.
Bane recently opened up about the moment he was traded by the Memphis Grizzlies on the Young Man and Theee podcast.
“Me and my lady, like I said, we’re here on vacation in Destin, and we’ve been trying to like catch like a little coffee shop or like breakfast shop in the morning and it was Father’s Day.”
“So, you know, we chilling, like enjoying our morning or whatever. And my GM texts me, happy Father’s Day, you got a second. And I was like, yeah, I do. And I’m telling my lady and she’s like, oh, like this, this can’t be good.”
“And I’m like, yeah, probably not. Like, it’s either me or, or somebody else that’s very impactful on the team. And, about ten seconds later, I get a FaceTime call and,, I’m like, oh yeah, we don’t really FaceTime like that. You know what I’m saying?”
“Like, we talk a decent amount, like for sure, but it’s all phone calls or in person. So I, at that point, I knew. And he told me that, that I was getting traded. And when he told me that, my heart sunk because it’s like, there’s twenty-nine other teams you can go to.”
“And, once he told me Orlando, I was like, okay, like I can do that. I guess that’s where we wanted to go. It’s a great, great up-and-coming team. I think I fit in. So it was a crazy little, little Father’s Day morning.
The Grizzlies had sent Bane to Orlando in a blockbuster deal, receiving Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four first-round picks (including one from Phoenix), and a 2029 pick swap in return.
It was a massive move signaling Memphis’ shift toward flexibility and asset-building, while also breaking up the long-standing core of Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane.
The trade shocked the league. After all, Bane was just 26 years old, signed to a five-year max extension, and coming off a season where he averaged 19.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. He was one of the few NBA players who could defend and shoot efficiently at a high volume, a premium skillset in today’s game.
And yet, the Grizzlies, who stumbled late in the 2024-25 season and were swept in the first round of the playoffs, clearly decided it was time for a reset. The firing of head coach Taylor Jenkins earlier in the offseason hinted at that direction. Now the Bane trade confirms it.
As the Magic go all-in on a young core led by Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and now Bane, the Grizzlies are betting on future draft capital and a retooled supporting cast around Morant.
But for Bane, Father’s Day 2025 will forever be remembered not for cards or calls from loved ones, but for the moment he realized his NBA chapter in Memphis had come to a sudden, surreal end.
