The Orlando Magic are said to be shopping Terrence Ross ahead of this year's trade deadline, and there are a few options for them to acquire the return they desire.
Orlando is definitely in a rebuild mode, and they can make the most out of getting younger players and draft picks. They'll almost certainly be on the lookout for a handful of young guys who should be on their radar for Terrence Ross.
Let's take a look at four potential deals that might aid the Magic in their rebuilding process for the long term.
While all of these deals may be difficult, some contending teams will overspend and will have to give back a large package owing to the players' salaries. Not all of these moves are likely, but competing clubs will try everything possible to improve, which might lead to some unusual deals, as we have seen in the past.
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Best Trades The MagicMust Make For Terrence Ross
Magic get: Grant Williams, Aaron Nesmith
Celtics get: Terrence Ross
The Boston Celtics will be in a unique situation at this year's trade deadline because they haven't played the type of basketball that fans have come to expect from one of the NBA's most historic teams. Terrence Ross wouldn't make them a title contender, but he would surely be a better option than Dennis Schroder, and given that they are seeking to move him, they could use another player who can come off the bench and both facilitate and score.
Orlando would be receiving two guys who are still early in their careers but have the potential to be good NBA players in the future. They might be guys that are part of their rebuild and they could utilize all of the younger guys that they can get, even if neither of them is going to aid this team at the time. This isn't the greatest trade for the Magic, but if other teams aren't ready to pay much more for Terrence Ross, it's something they'll consider, especially because both of these guys are still young and Boston should be calling around looking for a backup guard.
Magic get: Cedi Osman, Dylan Windler
Cavaliers get: Terrence Ross
Because Cedi Osman and the Cleveland Cavaliers have been playing fantastic basketball recently, this will be a difficult trade for the Magic to get done. They have far exceeded expectations this season, and it would be difficult to argue that they should make any major changes because they have beyond exceeded expectations. The reality is that if they want to make a splash in this year's Eastern Conference, they'll need a guard because Collin Sexton and Ricky Rubio are both out for the rest of the season.
Terrence Ross could not only assist this Cavaliers squad, but he could also be their starting shooting guard, which is something they'll have to consider if they want to compete in the Eastern Conference. They'll have a hard time in the playoffs against certain teams if they don't go out and grab a guard.
Magic get: Talen Horton-Tucker, DeAndre Jordan, 2023 2nd round pick
Lakers get: Terrence Ross
The Lakers have been rumored to express interest in acquiring Terrence Ross, and the Magic may elect to pursue this option. Talen Horton-Tucker has not performed as well as many expected him to when he entered the league, but he is still young and has shown lots of promise to become a solid player in the future. If Orlando decides to deal Robin Lopez too, they will acquire Talen Horton-Tucker, and DeAndre Jordan, who might be a serviceable backup center, with a future draft selection in return.
Magic get: Taj Gibson, Alec Burks
Knicks get: Terrence Ross
This season, the New York Knicks are similar to the Boston Celtics in that they might move in a variety of directions at the trade deadline. They clearly want someone who can run an offense and score at a high level, and Terrence Ross fits the role. Terrence Ross isn't going to score 25 points for the Knicks each night, but he may score 18 or more, which is something they urgently need.
While the Magic's return isn't the greatest they could hope for, Alec Burks has shown to be one of the top 3-point shooters in the NBA when he's on his game, and Taj Gibson is still a more than capable center if they decide to move Robin Lopez. It'll be fascinating to see if the Knicks can pull off a deal like this, but it's doubtful given their desire for a star and the fact that these two guys will have to be packaged in a massive trade if they want to reclaim that star.