When the Orlando Magic sent a 2026 first-round pick to the Memphis Grizzlies as part of the blockbuster Desmond Bane trade, many outlets simply labeled it as “Phoenix’s 2026 first.” But that shorthand glosses over what might be one of the most convoluted pick situations in recent NBA memory—a tangled web of swaps, protections, and prior obligations that spans four franchises and multiple trades.
Let’s break it down.
The pick in question originally belonged to the Phoenix Suns, but it’s been passed around like a hot potato. Phoenix first included it in a deal to offload Jusuf Nurkić, sending it to the Charlotte Hornets. But here’s the twist: Charlotte doesn’t get the pick outright. Instead, they’re entitled to the worst of four possible picks in 2026—those belonging to the Suns, Magic, Grizzlies, and Wizards.
So when Orlando sent this pick to Memphis, they weren’t handing over a clean Suns first. They were transferring their rights within a complex swap structure.
Here’s how the 2026 pick swap carousel works:
- Washington Wizards vs. Suns: If the Suns’ pick is better than the Wizards’, the Wizards get to swap—but only if their pick falls outside the top 8. That’s because the Knicks own the Wizards’ pick, and it’s top-8 protected, adding another layer of complexity.
- Magic’s Turn: After the Wizards-Suns swap is resolved, the Magic get the right to swap their own pick with the better of the remaining two (Suns or Wizards). If their pick is worse, they can upgrade.
- Grizzlies’ Turn: Then the Grizzlies get a shot. They can swap their pick with the best of the three remaining (after the first two swaps).
- Charlotte’s Consolation Prize: Whatever pick is left—the worst of the four—goes to the Hornets.
So when Orlando included this pick in the Bane deal, they were essentially giving Memphis the right to participate in this swap chain, not a guaranteed Suns pick.
This isn’t just a quirky footnote. The value of the pick Memphis receives could vary wildly depending on how these teams perform in 2025–26. If the Suns implode and the Wizards overachieve, the pick could be significantly more valuable—or vice versa. And because of the layered protections and cascading swap rights, it’s nearly impossible to project today which team will end up with which pick.
It also underscores how asset management in the NBA has become increasingly abstract. Teams aren’t just trading picks—they’re trading rights to future outcomes, often with multiple contingencies attached.
So yes, the Magic technically sent the “Suns’ 2026 first” to Memphis. But in reality, they handed over a Swiss Army knife of draft rights, forged through years of trades and layered with protections, swaps, and conditional logic that would make a tax attorney sweat.
In short: it’s not just a pick. It’s a puzzle.
