Cleveland Cavaliers: Terrence Ross is a logical trade target

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Orlando Magic swingman Terrence Ross looks to make a play. (Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images) /

It wasn’t all on Ross, and more playmaking around him on the Cavs, including from bigs, would help

In the six games Ross played prior to Markelle Fultz’s injury, he was having an electric season and looked like the frontrunner for the Sixth Man of the Year Award. In those six games, he averaged 20.8 points per game on 47.8/41.0/92.0 shooting splits. With Fultz’s season-ending injury came a shuffling of starting guards for the Magic which had a damper on Ross’ consistency.

February saw the Magic lose Cole Anthony for the entire month and then some as well as Michael Carter-Williams for part of the month due to injury. This now meant that three of the four assist-leaders on the team had missed a good chunk of February which caused Ross to have an increased on-ball role.

After 68.5 percent of his points came from being assisted on in January, per Basketball Reference, that number would plummet to 51.9 percent in February which also lead to that month being an inefficient one for Ross.

There are also the points of trades and injuries having a damper on his scoring and shooting.

Though the shot creation has improved, Ross is still a player who relies on his guards to create for him and that trend should continue on the Cavs. With Darius Garland, Collin Sexton, and the likely backup guard that the Cavaliers look to add this offseason, such as potentially T.J. McConnell, the influx of facilitating should help to improve Ross’ shot selection and efficiencies, as long as the guards are able to stay healthy.

It should also be added that with the frontcourt the Cavaliers could have next season, there should be a high level of playmaking out of the mid-post/paint area.

Similar to Doug McDermott, Ross is someone who can excel shooting off-movement, coming off down screens, flare screens and in transition. Ross adds the slashing and defensive aspect that McDermott doesn’t, making Ross a better fit for the team.

So shifting gears from there, what might it take for the Cavaliers to get Ross, then?