Magic President Jeff Weltman Reveals Thoughts on Terrence Ross Trade Rumors
ORLANDO - Terrence Ross is the longest-tenured member of the Orlando Magic, but that could change this offseason as the veteran requested a trade to a contender.
Ross has become a fan favorite in Orlando and has a lot of love for the Magic organization. But as he turns 32 this upcoming season and the Orlando roster grows younger, Ross prefers to play for a team that could compete for a championship.
Magic president Jeff Weltman had nothing but kind things to say about Ross and his role he plays for the Magic.
"He's a true professional," Weltman said in a press conference Monday. "He's helped shepherd some of our young guys through the last season. He's just a good teammate, good professional. We'll be exploring options for our whole roster. I will say if Terrence Ross is on this team next year, he's going to embrace the opportunity to grow the young guys up and show the league he can still play."
HoopsHype reported last week that Ross has been made available in trade talks.
"With Ross now owed $11.5 million in the final year of his contract, rival teams with interest are hoping Orlando lowers its asking price to multiple second-round picks, similar to when the team previously traded Evan Fournier to the Celtics," writes Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
Ross has been strong in his Orlando tenure, but put up career-worst shooting numbers in his sixth season with Orlando. Ross shot just 39.7 percent from the field, including 29.2 percent from 3-point range. He also averaged just 10 points per game, his lowest scoring production since the 2017-18 season when he only played in 24 games.
Orlando could look to trade Ross to a team with a large enough TPE (trade player exception) to absorb his salary. The Boston Celtics ($17.1 million) and Portland Trail Blazers ($20.8 million) are the only teams that currently possess a TPE big enough to take on Ross.
