Tom Szczerbowski – USA Today Sports Images
The Toronto Raptors are a team that is clearly trying to turn things around. Not only did they make the biggest trade of the 2012-2013 NBA season with the deal that landed them Rudy Gay, but they also were able to lure in the reigning NBA Executive of the Year in Masai Ujiri.
One of the most important things when it comes to rebuilding a franchise, though, is to develop the young talent that has a lot of upside and that is already on the roster. The Raptors are definitely doing that with center Jonas Valanciunas who seems to have all the makings of a potential All-Star, but they haven’t really done the same with Terrence Ross, their first round pick from 2012.
Ross played in 73 games for Toronto last season Ross averaged 6.4 points, two rebounds and 0.6 steals in only 17 minutes per game. His efficiency was an issue, as it was for most of the Raptors’ roster, as Ross shot just 40.7 percent from the field and only 33.2 percent from beyond-the-arc.
One of the biggest reasons that Ross wasn’t really able to find many minutes in his rookie season is because his skill-set is somewhat redundant of Gay’s and DeMar DeRozan’s. All three players thrive off of their athleticism, are relatively inefficient offensive players, and aren’t fantastic shooters.
However, if the Raptors want to make things happen for the future of their franchise, they have to see what they have in Ross. The only way they are going to be able to do that is by giving him experience on the floor and finding ways to give him opportunities. Whether they have to play small-ball, make a trade, or anything else, the Raptors have to get Ross on the floor. If they are unable to, they are making a mistake in regards to their future.
Cody Williams is a Senior Writer with Rant Sports. Follow Cody on Twitter @TheSizzle20, add him on Google+ and like his Facebook page.
