Ross makes his case for last-minute extension

Josh Lewenberg

TSN Raptors Reporter

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TORONTO - By Monday night we should get a pretty good indication of how much faith the Raptors have in Terrence Ross.

With the usual Halloween cut-off date falling on a weekend this year, the NBA has pushed back its annual deadline to extend players on rookie scale contracts to Nov. 2. This season, players from the 2012 draft class are on deck and Ross, Toronto's eighth-overall pick that year, is hoping to come out of it with a new deal.

"I mean it would be an honour to get an extension," the fourth-year guard told TSN.ca on Saturday. "If that doesn't happen then we'll take it from there."

Talks between the Raptors and Ross' representatives have been ongoing leading up to Monday's deadline, according to a source, and the team would be open to giving him an extension, if the price is to their liking. It's likely to go down to the wire.

If nothing else, his recent play will give general manager Masai Ujiri something to think about as decision day approaches.

"Again, Terrence came in, he gave us energy on the defensive end, getting his hands on the ball, pressuring the passing lanes," coach Dwane Casey said of Ross, who scored 11 points in Toronto's decisive 106-87 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, his second straight quality outing. "He did so many other things than just shoot the ball, which we need, that energy off the bench defensively."

Out of necessity, Ross had been miscast as a starting small forward. Coming off a disappointing campaign and with DeMarre Carroll now on board, he's transitioning to a more suitable full-time bench role this season. After a quiet performance in the opener, it seems like he's settling in as the team's primary scorer with the second unit. 

In Friday's win over the Celtics, Ross came off the bench to score 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting in 21 minutes. On Sunday, he missed his first three shots and was held scoreless going into the fourth quarter when he erupted for 11 points, including three triples, in a span of three and a half minutes to help put the Bucks away.

His natural ability has never been questioned. The Raptors' biggest concern in committing long-term money to Ross is the 24-year-old's inconsistency. Despite his unique and enticing skill set, which is growing increasingly valuable in today's NBA, that game-to-game - and even possession-to-possession - unpredictability has plagued him throughout his first three seasons as a pro.

He's a former dunk champion with a 51-point game on his resume. He's a 37 per cent career three-point shooter - having shot over 40 per cent from the corners in each of the last two seasons - and was considered to be Toronto's top perimeter defender before taking a (massive) step back on that end last year (his defensive rating ranked last among the Raptors' rotation players).

This is what makes him such a frustrating player to watch. One night, when those tools are on display, he'll look like a budding young star and the next you may not notice him at all.

"Consistency, that's the key, on both ends of the floor, not just his offence, be consistent defensively," Casey said. "And that's the huge question with him, can he be consistent?"

"With young players it [can be frustrating]. Guys are trying to get in their niche. It's frustrating sometimes because you see the good, you see what they can do and then you'll see some clunkers but that's part of being young, that's part of finding your niche in the league and trying to grow in the NBA, you're going to have nights like that. And Terrence, he's had less and less of the [bad nights], floating through the game and floating through situations. I love the assertiveness that he came out with the other night."

The Raptors are confident that Ross can excel in his new role. Although he wouldn't use it as an excuse, Ross' ankle injury was worse than most people realize and bothered him throughout last season. After undergoing surgery to remove the bone spurs that slowed him down, he's back at his natural position, primarily playing and, most importantly, defending guys at the two. The pressure of coexisting with the team's high-volume guards, Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, has been lifted in favour of this opportunity to carve out a niche as their sixth man. Last year, Toronto leaned on super subs Lou Williams and Greivis Vasquez to provide an offensive punch off the bench but with both guards gone, Ross should absorb a lot of those looks.

"There’s no pressure on him," DeRozan said. "There’s no pressure on him at all. When he comes into the game he knows what he’s supposed to do on both ends. Coach gives us freedom offensively to do a lot of things as long as we play defence. Once he keeps that in his head and understands the things he can do offensively, can’t do nothing but help him."

"I think he's coming in way more relaxed," Lowry's noticed. "I think he's just going out there and playing basketball, not necessarily worried about doing this or that, just going out there and having fun."

It's been an adjustment for Ross, who started all but 40 of the 163 games he played over the last two seasons. It takes a certain quality, or mindset as Casey puts it, to be successful as a reserve. The league's best subs - Williams, Boston's Isaiah Thomas, the Clippers' Jamal Crawford - know they don't have the luxury of easing their way into games, they come in with high energy, like they've been shot out of a cannon.

"You have to be tough mentally," said Vasquez, who returned to Toronto as a member of Milwaukee's revamped second unit on Sunday. "Obviously you want to start, what player doesn't want to start in this league? But you have to be tough mentally and understand what you can do as a player. You have to have a great amount of confidence in yourself and what you can do." 

"I think it makes it easier for me because I get to see how the game is, kind of feeling my way through it," said Ross, a much improved interview early in the season. "You kind of see what the game needs, what the coaches want, if you're lacking intensity or needing scoring or they're needing something, you kind of have an idea of what you can do to help. So it's always good visualizing that before you go in."

Evident in Friday's breakout performance, Ross is working to diversify his game. While the corner three remains his bread and butter, he's looking to be more aggressive when defenders close out on him, putting the ball on the floor and getting into the lane or launching a floater. In the second quarter of that game he passed up a three on the elbow for a better shot closer to the rim, one he knocked down. On a similar play Sunday, he drove into the heart of the defence and kicked the ball out to an open Patrick Patterson. These are encouraging signs of growth but Casey still wants to see Ross focus his attention on the defensive end, where he's been prone to suffer occasional lapses.

"I think he understands what he's supposed to do," Casey said. "Defend, score - maybe not 21 points every night but be an effective scorer off the bench. It's a pretty simple role, so to speak. He understands the plays, where he's going to get his shots, the plays are the same. So it's a pretty simple role for him."

"I feel like T-Ross, he'll do a great job," said Vasquez, a former teammate, before getting cryptic, seemingly implying that Ross' future may not be in Toronto, after all. "Whether it's here or somewhere else, he'll get what he wants, he's just got to stay professional and understand where he's at. Just play hard, play D, that's what you do best and hit shots."

The Raptors didn't wait long to sign Jonas Valanciunas to a four-year, $64-million extension back in August, an easy decision for Ujiri and company given the young centre's obvious value if he were to have hit the open market. Along with Valanciunas, Anthony Davis, Damian Lillard, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and John Henson have already agreed to long-term deals.

Ross is a tricky case. He's shown flashes as a competent rotation player but most around the league, including the decision-makers in Toronto, have questioned his motor. If Monday's deadline passes without Ross receiving an extension he'll be a restricted free agent this summer, with player salaries expected to skyrocket as the cap rises, meaning this will be a crucial season for the Raptors' guard to prove his worth.

"Everybody goes through that but I don't think he should be thinking about [his contract situation]," Casey said. "He should be worried about us winning, him contributing to winning, whether it's on the defensive end, offensive end. All the contract stuff always takes care of itself when you contribute to winning."