The Orlando Magic did not get to see much of Terrence Ross last year and it clearly hurt the team. He is looking good in a recently released workout video.
When the Orlando Magic acquired Terrence Ross from the Toronto Raptors, there was a small measure of excitement. The deal the Magic eventually got in trading Serge Ibaka was highly predictable. But Ross presented a player who could score and fit in. A do-it-all player who fills any role a team needs.
Ross’ story throughout his career was his offensive inconsistency. Despite that one 50-point game in his career, Ross never quite played consistently offensively to hold down a starter’s spot. Everyone always wanted a bit more from him. Never truly appreciating the intangibles he brought to the game as his scoring dipped up and down.
But he was still a very useful player. And the Magic learned that quickly.
Until they did not.
Ross was somewhat forgotten last summer as a potential impact player for the team. Someone who could put up points or fit in as a solid rotational player. That was all the Magic wanted from him.
He started the year at small forward and provided solid defense and a shooting threat. But Ross was selfless enough to sense the team had some struggles to get through and offered to head to the bench with his poor shooting performance to try to make things right.
Shortly after he made that sacrifice, he fractured a bone in his leg and missed all but the final two or three games. Orlando never got a chance to see Ross play fully.
And once again, Ross is a bit of a forgotten player this offseason. His impact and what he will bring to the team — especially under a new coaching staff and a new management group — is still a bit of a mystery. He likely will come off the bench as Jonathon Simmons and Jonathan Isaac fight for minutes at small forward. Ross will have to carve out his own role once again.
But first things first, Ross has to be healthy enough to play.
His final two games were more of a proof of concept. He had to show that he could get back on the court and play. But his output and production on the court were only going to be a fraction of his full abilities. He was not fully 100 percent and it was clear.
Ross has posted plenty of workout videos of his late-night sessions at the Amway Center. He is clearly working to get himself back and ready for the season to begin.
His latest workout videos posted to his Twitter account from Los Angeles, where he is working out with former Magic forward Mario Hezonja, are the best look anyone has seen of Ross in this fight to get back to where he was before.
https://twitter.com/TFlight31/status/1022284562762616832
— Terrence Ross (@TerrenceRoss) July 26, 2018
Ross certainly looks like he has regained a lot of his athleticism and confidence this summer. And his shooting form is as good as it ever was. Ross has always been a gifted mid-range shooter and a better-than-expected passer. The Magic learned that from his short stint after the trade. He has a lot of dimensions to his game.
Last year was a struggle for him even before the injury.
He averaged just 9.0 points per game and shot 40.7 percent from the floor, including 32.9 percent from three before his injury. There remained belief it was a temporary slump and he would return to his stronger career averages. But Ross never got the chance to keep playing through those struggle.
What Ross provided when healthy was solid defense and good awareness on the floor. He was one of the team’s more consistent defenders and helped anchor the team’s strong start to the year. Ross has always been good at filling gaps and doing whatever his team needs him to do.
Whatever role he ends up playing next year, Ross figures to be an important player for the team, adding depth and veteran leadership to the team.
It figures to be an important year for Ross too.
He is in the final year of his contract. It does not seem likely he will be able to get the same $10.5 million salary he received from his extension with the Raptors. But especially coming off an injury, he has to prove he can still be a solid role player.
That should be the easiest thing for him to accomplish this year. He is a good rotation player and someone who can catch fire and be a big spark for whatever team he plays for.
The Magic hope they can see a whole lot more of Ross this year. And that he can provide that intangible stability that has always made him valuable despite his offensive inconsistencies.