A franchise cornerstone suddenly departing is often met with uncertainty and angst. When the
Memphis Grizzlies traded Desmond Bane, a homegrown star and one of the NBA’s premier shooters, to the Orlando Magic for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, and a haul of four unprotected first-round picks, EVP/GM Zach Kleiman signaled a profound shift in the team’s trajectory. While the return provides immense future flexibility around Ja Morant, it created a glaring, immediate hole on the wing: how do you replace 19.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists, junkyard-dog defense, and elite floor spacing? Well, the entire organization is rallying around Jaylen Wells to handle the job.