Two things can be true: the Grizzlies will miss Desmond Bane's shot creation and shooting ability this season, but his value on the team depleted as Jaren Jackson Jr.'s offensive game rose. The Grizzlies had success during their big three era, and if not for the NBA's new salary cap rules that were implemented after Bane's max contract extension, they would've likely tried to continue building around them.
However, getting swept in the first round of the playoffs after a terrible second half of the season that saw them drop from the second seed to the eighth seed in the Western Conference standings made it harder for the team to pay three max-level players. The compensation received for Bane was the icing on the cake as the Grizzlies decided to pivot to a new approach.
Memphis is focused on building a modern-era championship contender
The dynamic backcourt of Ja Morant and Desmond Bane could go toe-to-toe with the best of them, but the defensive-minded Oklahoma City Thunder neutralized them without a return on the other end of the court. Morant has never been known as a good defender, and Bane isn't terrible, but can't be considered good either.
Adding a backcourt mate with a defensive-minded approach that can knock down shots was the best action the Grizzlies could take for Ja Morant. Receiving Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the trade from the Orlando Magic achieved that, while also recognizing that Jaylen Wells can eventually take over that role.
The wing position is arguably the most important in the NBA for a championship-level contender, and it is also the weakest for the Grizzlies. However, the first-round picks received in the trade for Desmond Bane figure to address that position. Two of those picks were already used to trade up to select Cedric Coward in the 2025 NBA Draft.
His development and how they use their two additional picks will ultimately determine if the Grizzlies made the right move by trading Bane. Now that they have a promising wing that they hope can solve their small forward woes, utilizing those other two picks to add depth or include in a package to bring another star at that position should be in the cards for the team.
Desmond Bane's value to the Orlando Magic made sense for why they decided to make the move to obtain him from the Grizzlies. On the flip side of that, Memphis knew that removing him would allow them a better transition to a team that could become a serious championship contender in the tough Western Conference.