Magic Send Two-Word Message to NBA Champion After Trade With Grizzlies

Magic Send Two-Word Message to NBA Champion After Trade With Grizzlies originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The Orlando Magic closed the 2024–25 regular season at 41–41, securing the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference. In the first round they faced the No. 2 Boston Celtics and were dispatched in five games, underscoring Orlando’s need for a proven go-to scorer alongside its emerging young core.

Following a disappointing end in the postseason, the Magic agreed to send veteran guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony and four unprotected first-round picks (the 2025 No. 16 overall pick plus selections in 2026 via Phoenix Suns, 2028 and 2030) along with a 2029 first-round pick swap to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Desmond Bane.

Shortly after the deal was announced, Orlando’s official Twitter account offered a send-off to their departing veteran.

“thank you @CaldwellPope”

thank you @CaldwellPope 🪄 pic.twitter.com/gilYiWF8TI— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) June 15, 2025

Over Caldwell-Pope's only season in Orlando, he averaged 8.7 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists per contest while shooting 43.9 percent from the field and 34.2 percent from three-point range. His perimeter defense yielded 1.3 steals per game and helped anchor the Magic’s top-5 defensive rating.

Off the court, Caldwell-Pope was competing on the first year of a three-year, $66 million contract signed last offseason. A two-time NBA champion—with the Lakers in 2020 and the Nuggets in 2023—his signing underscored Orlando’s faith in his veteran leadership and championship pedigree.

However, with Desmond Bane joining All-Stars Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, Orlando enters the offseason equipped with a proven scorer capable of shouldering the offensive load—a move aimed squarely at winning a wide-open Eastern Conference next season.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 15, 2025, where it first appeared.