Overall Outlook
The Orlando Magic need to decide if Terrence Ross fits in with their long-term plans as part of the core they have been assembling.
But for now, Ross is important to the team and what they are trying to accomplish this year.
The Magic are in desperate need of 3-point shooting, perimeter defense and some degree of veteran leadership. These are all things Ross could (hypothetically) provide given he returns to the form he has hit in previous seasons.
Ross has put in a ton of work this offseason to make himself healthy. He worked hard to get back on the floor before the end of last season just to prove he could get back onto a NBA court. He did that. But now he has to regain the level of play that made him such a valuable player.
That is the part that will not be easy. Even for someone as confident as Ross.
No one really knows what condition Ross is in. Hard work only gets you so far. Ross will have to be able to perform physically at a high level.
If he can, Ross may be one of the most critical supporting players on the roster.
A window for contention is starting to open for the Magic. That has not been true in a while.
If Jonathan Isaac, Aaron Gordon and Mohamed Bamba all hit their prime in a couple of years, and all fit well together, and all play like the Magic front office seem to think they can play, the Magic could potentially be in the playoffs in the East for a couple of years.
It will take players like Terrence Ross putting in the support to make those players better. The Magic may not be that close to a Playoff or title run. But a player like Ross can provide some strong support and space to help those players grow and succeed in the short-term.