Miami Heat could eye Terry Rozier trade, but there are plenty of catches

The veteran guard was to be arraigned in New York on Monday in the next step of the legal process.

A resolution on the future of Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier remains unclear despite the veteran attending an arraignment hearing in New York on Monday. | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

A few years from now, the same eyerolls and sighs which accompany talk of Terry Rozier’s time with the Miami Heat will still be used. The guard is involved in a major gambling-related scandal stemming from an incident that occurred before he was acquired. Lamenting the entire episode is inevitable, but there’s a  reason he’s still on the roster.

How he comes off the roster will play a significant role in just how his stint in South Florida will be remembered. If the Heat are able to unload him via trade and get anything of value back for their trouble, it will limit the damage caused by this entire saga.

Rozier was in New York on Monday for his arraignment at a federal courthouse in Brooklyn. He’s expected to plead “not guilty” and let the legal process play out. That’s a good thing for the Heat, who wish him well since nothing he’s accused of doing transpired while with Miami and he conducted himself a pro before being placed on leave despite his brutal shooting struggles. 

What happens over the next few months matters most to the organization because Rozier can still realistically be dealt. Given Miami’s limited draft capital through 2030, is a major domino that must still fall before the final chapter on Rozier’s time with the Heat can be closed

An ESPN report released Monday explored multiple angles on whether Miami should have been notified by the NBA or the Charlotte Hornets prior to the deal executed to acquire Rozier in exchange for Kyle Lowry and a protected first-round pick took place on Jan. 23, 2024. It cited multiple sources across the league saying “they see no path to Miami “winning a grievance with the league over this trade.”

Moving Rozier's expiring contract could help Heat improve roster

One interesting footnote was the mention of current Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr., arrested while with the Houston Rockets in late 2023 for assault and strangulation of a domestic partner. He was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder and immediately waived despite no assurances he'd ever play in the NBA again.

Considering the Heat are rightfully aggravated they were kept in the dark regarding this ongoing investigation and were essentially dealt damaged goods if you believe Rozier’s on-court struggles were related to his concerns over the ongoing matter, it’s hard to imagine the NBA now ruling that Miami is stuck with Rozier. 

If the league doesn’t stand in the way of the Heat pursuing trading him to another team, it would give them more options to improve their roster in a season where they started fast and could eventually compete in a wide-open Eastern Conference. 

Why would any other team deal for Rozier? His $26.6 million expiring contract is quite valuable for a team committed to rebuilding. The same plausible deniability Charlotte exercised in Rozier being cleared by the league in their investigation prior to the federal government’s charges can now be utilized by Miami to move the veteran guard’s rights to another team since he hasn’t plead guilty to charges or been banned. 

No resolution to any Heat grievance with NBA expected soon

The NBA has no statute of limitations on filing a grievance, so this process is ongoing and not something the Heat front office is going to comment on one way or another. 

“One complicating factor is the trade has not been fully completed,” wrote ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Bobby Marks. “The 2027 lottery-protected first-round pick – it would become a 2028 unprotected first-rounder if the Heat miss the playoffs in 2027 – has yet to convey, leaving something for the Heat to potentially fight to regain.”

The Rozier saga will continue to play out over the next few moves until he’s either dealt by Miami or the trade deadline passes. These latest developments should be viewed positive that the Heat aren’t stuck with no options like an unlucky loser in a game of “Old Maid.”