Raptors’ Ross needs to be worthy of his floor time
Defensive consistency will be key to how often he sees court
TOrONTO • After his rookie season, there is precisely one undeniable truth that can be said about Terrence Ross: Whether in a game or a dunking competition, the Toronto Raptors swingman can throw down.
Other than that, Ross remains more theoretical talent than polished NBA player. Outside of a stretch in December, Ross’s production varied wildly. Outside of about one stupefying athletic display per game, Ross often was invisible, sometimes coasting on that athleticism.
His personality brought a former player to coach Dwane Casey’s mind.
“I had Rashard Lewis in Seattle who was kind of like that, laid back a little bit,” Casey said. “But when it kicked in, it kicked in. He got a max contract because it did kick in.
“There are a lot of laid-back guys who will kick your butt. I don’t mind laid back, but when you walk on that floor, you’ve got to have that air about you, that disposition, ‘Hey, I’m here to play every possession.’ That’s what he’s got to fight through, fight through that laid-back persona so to speak, and attack like he did [Monday] night.”
In the Raptors’ pre-season opener on Monday, Ross had 12 points in 25 minutes, including a few rare drives to the rim for baskets despite the defence being set. Last year, Ross’s offence was mechanical — that is, he often determined what he was going to do before observing the defence, resulting in some awkward-looking shot attempts. One of the Raptors’ requests to Ross was for the swingman to work on his ball handling over the summer.
But the bigger issue for Casey was Ross’s defence. His quickness and agility give him a chance to be a good defender. But last season, his defensive inattentiveness sometimes kept him from getting on the floor. Coaches often plan to minimize risks, and Ross’s unpredictability could be infuriating if it sticks with him.
“It was tough. The game is just so much faster,” Ross said of his rookie year. “I remember [in one of my first games] last year, I got a straight drive-by from Corey Maggette. It’s just realizing how much different the game is than college. You can only talk about it so much. Once you’re actually in it, you can see it for yourself.”
How often did Ross have those realizations? “Not every game — a lot of games.” So, the challenge this year is to adapt more to that speed. The Raptors do not need Ross to be a dynamic offensive creator. For those purposes, they have Kyle Lowry, Rudy Gay and DeMar DeRozan, or at least they hope. If Ross can improve upon his 33% three-point accuracy and move the ball with a little more enthusiasm, he will be doing his part. Most of all, the Raptors need Ross, behind Gay and DeRozan, to be responsible — worthy of the minutes he receives instead of merely being handed them in the name of “player development.”
“All their lives they glide and they depend on speed and quickness and jumping ability,” Casey said of athletes such as Ross. “‘If I get in trouble, I can just jump up and get it.’ When you get to this level, everybody’s quick, everybody can jump.’ You’ve got to be able to consistently play that way.”