Brian Windhorst is at it again.
Windhorst, ESPN's Senior NBA Reporter, three years ago became something of a Sherlock Holmes-esque figure among NBA fans when he openly questioned the Utah Jazz's motives for a trade as if he knew something everyone didn't, immediately making NBA fans' spidey senses tingle. Just days later, longtime Jazz center Rudy Gobert was dealt to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
And so Windhorst's line, "Why would the Jazz do that?" lives on.
Well, Sunday's trade between the Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies, in which Orlando acquired two-way guard Desmond Bane in exchange for two rotation players and four first round picks, presented Windhorst with another opportunity to put on his detective's hat.
And while it wasn't nearly at the level of his brilliant you-don't-know-where-this-is-going-but-I-do analysis of the Jazz trade, it was still quite entertaining, and even a bit surprising, given that he openly questioned the futures of Grizzlies stars Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. Windhorst, during an appearance on SportsCenter, began by breaking down Orlando's side of the trade, but not before hitting viewers with the ultimate cliffhanger.
"The next question is: What about Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.?"@WindhorstESPN breaks down Desmond Bane being traded to the Magic ✍️ pic.twitter.com/IewXKxwjEj
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 15, 2025
"Yeah, let's break this trade into two parts," Windhorst said. "Let's focus on the Orlando side and the Grizzlies' side. And I promise you the Grizzlies' side is more interesting."
Well, you had my curiosity, but now you have my attention, Windy!
Windhorst went on to explain that the cost of the trade—the four first round picks—was so exorbitant because the Magic were not only paying up for Bane, who is one of just three players to knock down 800 three-pointers at a 40% clip since entering the league in 2020-21, but also to offload the contract of veteran Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who is owed $43 million over the next two years.
Now, here's where it got interesting.
Windhorst called the deal a "rebuild" trade for Memphis, then wondered if it might be better for the franchise to consider a pivot in strategy, given the loaded Western Conference.
"The next question is: What about Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.?" Windhorst queried. "And I don't know the answer to this. This is something that we're just trying to figure out with this trade. The whole league is now going to investigate this. We haven't heard from the Grizzlies yet. And if I was at the Grizzlies press conference, this is the number one question I would be asking.
"I wouldn't be asking about Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. I wouldn't be asking about Cole Anthony. I wouldn't be asking about those four first round picks. I would be asking, 'Do you intend to extend Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.?"
As Windhorst noted, both Morant, one of the most talented point guards in the league who has been beset by on and off-court troubles, and Jackson Jr., the 2022-23 Defensive Player of the Year, are extension eligible this summer.
So, to quote Windhorst when it comes to the Bane trade: why would the Grizzlies do that?
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Brian Windhorst Ponders Futures of Grizzlies Stars After Desmond Bane Trade.
