To understand how prolific Ross has been, consider this: He averages 19.0 points per 36 minutes, the second-highest rate on the team. “You can bring him in the game and just go to him,” said Clifford, who typically puts Ross into games with three to four minutes remaining in the first quarter. “It’s not easy. There’s not many guys that can do it.”
Terrence Ross Rumors
All NBA Players
Position: G
Born: 02/05/91
Height: 6-6 / 1.98
Weight:194 lbs. / 88.4 kg.
Salary: $10,500,000
Born: 02/05/91
Height: 6-6 / 1.98
Weight:194 lbs. / 88.4 kg.
Salary: $10,500,000
Josh Robbins: Final: Magic 116, Rockets 109. Gordon: 22 pts., 8 rebs., 5 assts. Vucevic: 22 pts., 9 rebs., 6 assts. Ross: 17 pts. Harden: 38 pts., 9 rebs., 12 assts, 1-of-17 shooting from 3-point range. (Not a typo.) Magic: 48% on FGAs. Rockets: 44% on FGAs.
Blazers interested in Jeremy Lin
Portland, too, would be willing to part with its first-rounder to add depth to a roster that badly needs help in the backcourt and on the wing. The Trail Blazers could be a player for Ross or Simmons, too. But sources tell SN that they have expressed interest in another player expected to be made available for a first-round pick: Atlanta point guard Jeremy Lin.
One of the teams most eager to move its first-rounder along for immediate help is the Pelicans, who have won two straight games as they’ve gotten Elfrid Payton and Nikola Mirotic back from injury but are still desperate for small forward help. A source told SN that the Pels made a pitch for small forward Kelly Oubre before Washington traded him to Phoenix, and New Orleans has continued to look for a starting-quality wing. The Pelicans have shown interest in Orlando small forward Terrence Ross, who has had a career year, but is a free agent this summer and uncertain to re-sign with the Magic.
The Magic’s preference has been to trade Jonathon Simmons, who has struggled this season. Simmons is signed for next season, at $5.7 million, but only $1 million is guaranteed. Still, teams pushing for the postseason (like New Orleans) prefer Ross for a first-rounder. The Magic may have to budge on that if they want a pick.
Coach Steve Clifford has tried multiple lineup combinations to find a second unit that can compete. On Monday night in Sacramento, he opened the second quarter with Simmons, Terrence Ross, Evan Fournier, Aaron Gordon and Mo Bamba on the floor, but even that quintet struggled, allowing a 14-2 run to the Kings. The Magic never recovered. “It was a problem, and we just struggled to score,” Clifford said. “You have to find a way. I just have to find one. I don’t know how to do it. We’ve got to find a way so we have enough shooting on the floor all the time to create spacing. It’s a problem. There’s just not a lot of room with some of the lineups out there for anybody to have a place to go, and it makes it hard.”
