Tensions flared during the Orlando Magic’s game against the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday resulting in the ejection of Desmond Bane. Bane was attempting to contest Hawks big man Onyeka Okongwu’s shot at the rim, when he grabbed Okongwu across the arms and threw him to the floor while spiking the ball at Okongwu in the aftermath. Bane was assessed a flagrant foul, a technical foul and ejected after review.

Desmond Bane’s ejection came in the third quarter with the Magic trailing the Hawks by double digits. Mouhamed Gueye came to Onyeka Okongwu’s defense, getting into Bane’s face as teammates and the officials intervened before the situation could get any further out of control.

Bane finished the game with nine points, three rebounds, two assists and one steal in a little over 22 minutes of play. He shot 2-of-6 from the field, 2-of-4 from the three-point line and 3-of-5 from the free-throw line before he was ejected.

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The Magic paid a hefty price to acquire Bane in the offseason, trading away four future first round picks and a first round pick swap to the Memphis Grizzlies along with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cole Anthony. The prevailing thought was an established guard like Bane could help the Magic take another leap forward in the Eastern Conference.

So far, the Magic have started the 2025-26 season at 3-4, and will fall to 3-5 following the likely loss to the Hawks. Coming into Tuesday’s game, Bane had appeared in all seven games for the Magic at just about 30 minutes per game.

He’s been averaging 14.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists with splits of 41.9 percent shooting from the field, 25.8 percent shooting from the three-point line and 94.1 percent shooting from the free-throw line. The No. 30 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, Bane is in his sixth season in the NBA, and first with the Magic after playing the first five seasons of his career with the Grizzlies.