Inside The Heat

Again, No Terry Rozier Buyout Is Coming

Ethan J. Skolnick|
Mar 31, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier (2) handles the ball during the second quarter against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images
Mar 31, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier (2) handles the ball during the second quarter against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images | Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

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Miami Heat

It's the Miami Heat story that won't seem to cease.

On the Five on the Floor podcast and here on ONSi, we've been trying to tell you that the Miami Heat are stuck with the Terry Rozier situation as is for a while, because none of the options for separation are actually available to them.

They can't trade him, even with his expiring contract, because of his poor performance last season -- and also because of an ongoing FBI investigation related to daily fantasy abuses, which hasn't ended even after the NBA cleared Rozier.

And they won't be buying him out anytime soon either.

That's because doing so would require Rozier to agree to take a pay cut on his current contract, when he knows that no team is likely to sign him and make up the difference.

Ira Winderman, the long-time Heat beat writer for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, gave voice to that again Tuesday.

So for now, everything is as it's been. Rozier is almost certain to be present at training camp at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton this fall. And the Heat will likely be careful with how much he competes, with no real plans to play him in a significant role, and concerns that an injury could further diminish his value.

None of this on the Heat's part is related to Rozier's attitude. Insiders say he has been cooperative in all ways. But taking less money is another thing entirely, and few expect Rozier to budge on that.

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Ethan J. Skolnick
ETHAN J. SKOLNICK

Ethan has covered all major sports -- in South Florida and beyond -- since 1996 and is one of the longest-tenured fully credentialed members of the Miami Heat. He has covered, in total, more than 30 NBA Finals, Super Bowls, World Series and Stanley Cup Finals. After working full-time for the Miami Herald, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Palm Beach Post, Bleacher Report and several other outlets, he founded the Five Reasons Sports Network in 2019 and began hosting the Five on the Floor podcast as part of that network. The podcast is regularly among the most downloaded one-team focused NBA podcasts in the nation, and the network is the largest independent sports outlet in South Florida, by views, listens and social media reach. He has a B.A. from The Johns Hopkins University and an M.S. from Columbia University. TWITTER: @EthanJSkolnick and @5ReasonsSports EMAIL: fllscribe@gmail.com

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