Terrence Ross taking ownership of sixth man role for Orlando Magic

Terrence Ross has been the lone bright spot for the Orlando Magic’s bench. But he has proven a vital piece and a potential leader to right the ship.

Terrence Ross still needed to introduce himself to Orlando Magic fans.

Fans liked him plenty from his half season with the team following the Serge Ibaka trade in February 2017. It was a taste of who he was and what he could be. His summer workouts and drive began endearing him to fans.

But his first full season with the Magic was largely a lost one. The team did not get to see him at his best. He suffered a nearly season-ending injury around Thanksgiving.

To that point, he had struggled to shoot while playing a starter role. The enduring image of his season was his decision to ask the coach to take him out of the starting lineup because he thought it would be best for the team.

That selflessness was something that has defined Ross.

Ross’ shooting numbers are not as impressive as one might think. He is hitting on just 40.2 percent from the floor with more than half of his shots coming from beyond the arc. Ross has a 48.5 percent effective field goal percentage. That puts a damper on what could be a career-high 12.5 points per game.

Ross’ shooting and offense is vital for a bench unit that is struggling to generate offense. He is critical for the bench unit that suffered the criticism of their head coach after Wednesday’s loss to the Detroit Pistons. There he scored 15 of the team’s 20 points off the bench and made six of their seven field goals.

He is not super efficient. But then again, the Magic have asked him to do a lot — his 23.4 percent usage rate is by far a career high (at his current pace).

But this is not where Ross’ whole value comes.

That comes from his selflessness once again. How he is willing to go the extra mile for his team.

Ross’ value really comes from how he fills the gap on offense with his gravity and his defense with his smarts in help-side defense. He is always someone willing to go the extra mile for the team.

That is seen on the court. He has had multiple plays where he goes diving into the stands or on the floor for loose balls. Ross is always willing to make the sacrifice to save or create a new possession.

Off the court now, Ross seems to be taking to his leadership role with great urgency and focus too.

Ross said after practice Thursday that he gathered the bench players together to discuss their roles and their performance in recent games. It seemed like a constructive meeting in response to Clifford’s pleas to play to a higher standard following Wednesday’s loss.

Those pleas would go unheeded if the players did not act collectively to work with them. Meeting to discuss what they need to do is an important first step. And for a young team without a ton of experience in winning, having a veteran player like Ross step up is exactly what the group needs.

Of course, the devil is in the details. And that is where the Magic have struggled.

For the last six years, Orlando players have often pointed out exactly what the team is doing wrong. The issue with the Magic and its culture has never been about defining the problem. The issue has been solving it and putting words to action on the court.

This Magic team has struggled to stay attentive to detail. They have broken the gameplan or failed to execute at a high enough intensity level. That has been a common thread and a common complaint throughout the early part of the season.

This, as much as anything, is what the Magic have to correct to reach their potential.

Ross has been a big part of the team trying to get its act together. His individual numbers have been solid. His hustle and his energy have clearly made an impact and resonated with fans.

Ross is someone the team has relied on for just about everything.

During the game against the Sacramento Kings, Ross had things rolling. He scored 17 points and was on a roll. He asked out of the game late in the fourth quarter and fans inside the Amway Center as the Magic struggled to score and get back into that game were clearly upset. When he re-entered the game a few moments later, Ross received a standing ovation.

It is not because of pure stats. Ross shot just 7 for 17 in that game. Hardly the efficient outing. And for the year, the Magic have a 94.8 offensive rating with Ross on the floor.

That is largely a product of Ross playing mostly with offense-poor bench lineups. But the team has a 105.9 defensive rating with him on the floor, above the team’s average. His impact there is not clearly seen.

But he clearly has the coach’s trust.

Ross has gotten plenty of time with the starters. The team has had a sort of finisher by committee with at least one spot in the finishing lineup. And with Jonathan Isaac out of the lineup, Terrence Ross has taken over that finishing role. Since that injury, Ross has averaged 29.7 minutes per game while scoring 15.7 points per game and shooting 47.4 percent from the floor and 40.0 percent from beyond the arc.

Ross on the court is finding his rhythm. And clearly, Clifford is not starting him because he knows he needs Ross’ leadership and scoring punch off the bench. He has found a home in that role.

That is even more so with the Magic shifting minutes around preventing Aaron Gordon from running with the bench unit more. And even more with Jonathon Simmons still working his way back from offseason wrist surgery.

It is clear the Magic need Ross in that role and he has embraced it. It is clear he has taken the responsibility with that gropu to heart. The one thing everyone appreciates about Ross is how much he is for the team over himself. The stats, clearly, are taking care of itself in this contract year.

The question now will be whether Ross can elevate his teammates’ game to meet the team’s needs.

Just like it is for the rest of the roster. They all have to rise to the challenge their coach laid down.

Ross has played exceptionally well and taken to his new role. But his biggest challenge is helping right this ship.