One of the difficult aspects of handling this year’s NBA trade deadline for the Miami Heat has been the notion that one of their most tradeable chips–Terry Rozier and his expiring contract–is currently under federal indictment thanks to an FBI gambling sting that ensnared several players, as well as coach Chauncey Billups of the Blazers.
It’s created awkward situations for teams, including Portland, but the Heat are in the especially difficult position now of employing Rozier at $26.6 million, though he is not allowed to play and the league has no rules on whether his contract can be traded as it stands.
The Heat have asked the NBA for some clarity on the situation. The league has not given them any straightforward directives on how they can proceed with Rozier, but on Tuesday before the NBA Cup, commissioner Adam Silver indicated that the league office wants to give Miami some leeway.
Miami Heat’s Terry Rozier Situation Is ‘Unprecedented’
Speaking about the indictments, Silver called the situation with Rozier, who was with the Miami Heat for a season-and-a-half after a mostly disappointing trade with the Hornets in 2023, “unprecedented.”
“In terms of Miami, this is an unprecedented situation,” Silver said. “I think I’m incredibly sympathetic to the Heat and to their fans. But I think we’re going to try to work something through, work this out with them. But there’s no obvious solution here. I would just say that there’s no doubt at the moment they have a player that can’t perform services for them.”
GettyNBA Commissioner Adam Silver speaks to the media before the Emirates NBA Cup Championship game between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks at T-Mobile Arena.
Miami Heat Need Clarity on Situation Soon
The Heat are playing without Rozier, and that is not going to change. Silver could have come in and said that the league is not responsible for bending the rules to suit teams that employ players who get arrested and charged with crimes. But the fact that he is sympathetic to the Heat’s plight is a sign that he will grant them some dispensation.
What that dispensation is will matter. The Heat could potentially get cap space for Rozier, perhaps worth half his contract, as with a disabled player exception. But the Heat might well rather than Rozier stays on the books but his contract allowed to be used as an expiring trade chip–which could help them match salaries for a top star like Giannis Antetokounmpo on the trade market.
Relief for the Terry Rozier Draft Pick, Too?
The Heat also owe the Hornets a 2027 first-round pick for Rozier, and while it seems unlikely that they’d get that pick returned to them, it’s possible the league could carve out an extra first-rounder for the Heat.
Silver was open-minded on the pick, too.
“And as to the draft pick they conveyed — obviously he hasn’t been convicted of anything yet, either, but this is an unfortunate circumstance. But sometimes there’s unique events and maybe sometimes they require unique solutions,” he said.
“We’ll be looking at this with the Heat and the other teams in the league and see if there’s any satisfactory relief, but at the moment there is none.”
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