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Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green didn’t hold back when reacting to the Orlando Magic’s blockbuster trade for Desmond Bane, calling the price “a lot” while offering insight into why the deal may still make sense.
On the latest episode of The Draymond Green Show, joined by former NBA guard Baron Davis, Green addressed the Father’s Day trade that sent Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies to the Magic in exchange for Cole Anthony, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, four unprotected first-round picks, and a pick swap.
“Four unprotected first round picks and a pick swap, that’s a lot,” Green said. “So, when I saw the trade I was like, man, that’s a lot — and I like Bane.”
Green referenced a quote attributed to Orlando general manager Anthony Parker, who reportedly said that if someone went into a lab to build a basketball player, they would build Desmond Bane. Green pushed back on that notion.
“I saw that quote… and I said, ‘oh, okay. That’s why he gave up so much,’” Green said. “But if I go into the lab and create a basketball player, I’m going to create Kevin Durant or LeBron James or like a 6’6” dude with Steph Curry’s jumpshot.”
“Desmond Bane is 6’5” with a 6’4” wingspan or 6’2” wingspan or something of that nature,” Green continued. “I’m not going into the lab and creating Desmond Bane, with all due respect… I’m not going to create a basketball player with short arms.”
Draymond Green sees Desmond Bane deal as Magic’s push to win now in wide-open NBA
Despite his critique, Green said the trade made strategic sense from Orlando’s perspective.
“It made complete sense to me as to why they made that move,” he said. “I don’t know this to be factual, but my guess is they’ve been looking for a point guard. My guess is they called on Ja [Morant], and Memphis somehow curved the conversation back to Desmond Bane.”
Green viewed the deal as a signal of belief in Orlando’s rising core of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.
“They’re saying, ‘we believe in Paolo, we believe in Franz, and we’re going to put someone around them with shooting to take pressure off them,’” he said. “That’s what the move signals to me. And I agree with it. They think the league is wide open, and right now is the time to take your shot.”
That belief aligns with a league climate defined by its growing parity. The NBA has not had a back-to-back champion since the Warriors won consecutive titles in 2017 and 2018. No team has made consecutive Finals appearances since the Warriors’ last run in 2019.
The 2025 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers will conclude with a Game 7 on Sunday night at 8:00 p.m. ET — the first Finals Game 7 since 2016.
