A month ago, the Memphis Grizzlies sent Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic in a surprising trade.
They acquired Cole Anthony, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and a plethora of draft picks in exchange, some of which were utilized to boost their draft position to get Cedric Coward in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Cole Anthony is set to join the Milwaukee Bucks after he clears waivers; he recently reached a buyout with Memphis, allowing him to enter free agency.
They still have hope in Caldwell-Pope, though, because they see him as a potential championship-caliber player.
Caldwell-Pope is a two-time NBA champion, winning with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 in the bubble and with the Denver Nuggets in 2023.
That championship experience can be invaluable for a team that believes it can compete for one.
Although the trade caught Ja Morant by surprise, he’s optimistic that Caldwell-Pope could be the right addition to the team
Having that vet on staff is tremendously beneficial to us, as Morant expressed to Damicheal Cole of the “Memphis News.” On defense, everyone is aware of what he does.
This is an ideal example for our younger men who aspire to be that guy: a model vet.
The Grizzlies could use Caldwell-Pope’s perimeter defense and his excellent three-point shooting, but Bane is a far superior scorer and shot creator.
Orlando was missing out on his usual abundance of open looks due to a lack of playmaking.
With Morant, Ty Jerome, and Scotty Pippen Jr. on the team, that ought to change.
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