Would Terrence Ross be Good Target for Lakers amid Latest NBA Trade Rumors?
It hasn't been surprising to see the Los Angeles Lakers consistently getting linked to new players in trade rumors during the 2022-23 NBA season. With the team underperforming again, at least one move seems likely to happen.
However, nobody knows exactly what type of deal the Lakers will make. There have been quite a few players who Los Angeles has had reported interest in recently, and any of them could eventually end up wearing purple and gold.
One player who we just learned the Lakers may want to target is Orlando Magic guard Terrence Ross.
According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, Ross has "long garnered interest" from Los Angeles. However, the Lakers haven't been alone, as the New York Knicks had also been pursuing the 31-year-old wing player in recent seasons, per Fischer.
None of this necessarily means Ross will end up getting traded anytime soon, though. Especially because teams may not be willing to meet the Magic's asking price.
"While Orlando has rebuffed offers below a first-round pick for the veteran swingman in recent seasons, sources said, it's difficult to foresee a playoff contender sacrificing more than a single second-round selection for Ross' services," Fischer wrote.
Will that be enough for the Magic to part with Ross this time? That remains to be seen. But it's possible the 11-year NBA veteran's stock is a bit lower than it's been in some recent seasons.
Ross is averaging only 8.1 points in 30 games during the 2022-23 campaign. That would end up as his lowest scoring output since he averaged 6.4 points in 73 games as a rookie with the Toronto Raptors in the 2012-13 season.
However, Ross is still shooting 40.6 percent from the field and 35.4 percent from three-point range. He just isn't getting off as many attempts as he has for much of his career.
So there's a good chance that a change of scenery could result in Ross returning to form a bit. And what better place to go than Los Angeles, where he could play alongside LeBron James and try to help the Lakers get back into playoff contention?
Los Angeles is 13-18 after its loss to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, which was its sixth defeat in its past nine games. It's still only two games out of a spot for the play-in tournament, though, and there's plenty of time for the team to get hot and turn its season around.
A deal or two before the Feb. 9 trade deadline should help the Lakers have a better chance of doing that. While Ross alone couldn't give Los Angeles enough of a boost to be a playoff team, he could be a solid contributor.
The Lakers need wing players who are efficient shooters, and Ross can fit that bill. If he plays up to his full potential, he could even become a key member of Los Angeles' rotation.
So it would be wise for the Lakers to try to acquire Ross, assuming the Magic's asking price isn't too high. Los Angeles owns only two first-round draft picks for the rest of the decade, and it shouldn't part with either of those in a trade for Ross.
But if the Lakers can get him for a second-round pick and/or a player, they'd improve by having him available to come off their bench (or possibly even take a spot in the starting lineup).
