2023 Phoenix Suns Player Review: Terrence “The Human Torch” Ross was added and brought his bucket-getting mentality

2022-23 Player Recaps

Welcome to our Phoenix Suns Season in Review series where we do individual PLAYER REVIEWS of each man that contributed in the 2022-23 season. We go through the roster to analyze what went right/wrong for them, and what they can do to get better for next season.

Terrence Ross

• Position: Shooting guard and Small forward
• Vitals: 6’6” tall, 206 pounds, 32 years old
• Experience: 11 years
• Stats (2022-23 regular season, PHX): 9.0 PPG, 2.0 APG, 3.3 RPG, 42.8 FG%, 34.7 3PT%, 85.7.FT%

In this episode of reviewing the final roster of the 2022-23 Phoenix Suns, we go into detail on the debut season in Phoenix of long-time NBA vet and patented bucket Terrence Ross.

Ross was with the Orlando Magic during the 2022-23 season and was bought out to enter free agency. The Dallas Mavericks made an aggressive push at the wing, but ultimately new owner Mat Ishbia as well as the chance to integrate perfectly with the Suns including Book and KD was enough to lure him away from the Mavericks. Ross’s last two stints with Orlando and Toronto have been his only stops in his career, playing for (5) and (7) seasons respectively.

Ross is also notoriously known for being one of the “Suns Killers”, meaning he always gave Phoenix a tough time when they matched up against him along with players such as Jamal Murray, Bryn Forbes, Dillon Brooks, Tim Hardaway Jr, etc. Averaging 16.9 pts with a 59.5 TS%, the stats clearly back the moniker.

Regular Season Recap:

Ross is another one of the later acquisitions for the Suns, therefore he did not have a ton of run on the team after being picked up on February 11th. He averaged 18.4 mins in 21 regular season games played, and showed flashes of the production he could provide off the bench including his 24-point outing against OKC on March 8th (video above). Inconsistencies from beyond the arc were a common theme however, only making 34.7% of his shots from three.

Post-Season Recap:

Ross was another player that could not land on Monty’s good side, getting inconsistent minutes as one of the wings that came off the bench behind Landry Shamet, Torrey Craig, and Josh Okogie on the depth chart. Despite the Suns needing additional shot creation, Ross never found adequate minutes only appearing in 6 games and only playing 11.5 minutes per game.

Like teammate TJ Warren, Ross did not perform up to standard with the limited time he did have, only averaging 3.7 PPG and being a -6 from the floor. I believe this is more of a product of the situation however than due to the lack of talent.

Strengths

Terrence Ross has always been known for his ability to hit tough shots and be an ultimate source of buckets for lack of a better term. He exudes confidence, not being afraid to immediately make a quick decision and shoot the rock immediately on catch. Ross’s release is also extremely high, which makes his shot extremely tough to contest especially when comboing in a fade. In addition, Ross is a 3-level score meaning he can score on defenses from beyond the arc, from the mid-range, or at the rim with explosiveness to support takes at the basket. “The Human Torch” is also a very capable cutter with a quick first step.

Simply put, Ross is exceptional at getting a basket in situations where defenses may be locked in too much on stars or situations in the game where the offense seems stagnant. He truly plays the role of bringing much-needed energy and instant “microwave” offense on the floor, which is extremely beneficial to any team and especially a contender such as the Suns.

Weaknesses

Ross’s weakness lies on defense, where at times he does not make the right reads on screens, overcommits, or just flat-out loses his defender and gets stuck in no-mans land. In addition, with only a 6’7 wingspan, this handicaps some of the potential deterrence and steal capabilities that other traditional 3&D wings can offer. Transition defense is a major flaw as well, with not being able to slow down ball handlers at an efficient rate.

Although it is clear that Ross brings the majority of his value on the offensive end, sometimes his tendency to allow his man to get by him causes the defense to collapse and leave opposing three-point shooters or cutters. In addition as a paint defender and contesting shots at the rim, Ross tends to foul more often than not with 44 fouls in only 21 games played for Phoenix.

Contract Status

Terrence Ross signed a 1 year, $918K contract with the Phoenix Suns via. free agency after being bought out by the Orlando Magic.

Ross will be an unrestricted free agent in 2023.

Final Season Grade:

My grade for Terrence Ross’s debut as a Phoenix Sun is a C+ (which is slightly above T.J. Warren). Just like T.J. Warren, however, he was not given the proper chance to make a serious impact on the team in the regular/post-season. Ross has all the tools to help the Suns, just ultimately did not coincide with what Coach Monty’s plan was for the team and did not capitalize on the chances given to prove it. Ross played well in stints, but with being a midseason acquisition in addition to inconsistent shooting, he was unable to carve out a consistent spot in the rotation.

It would be interesting to see Ross back in a Suns uniform for the minimum next season under Vogel/Young’s new system, but ultimately it will be up to management to find the best options in the market for a self-starter offensive player such as T-Ross.