Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was never officially cleared by the NBA in its internal gambling investigation, despite remaining active over the past two seasons, according to investigative journalist Pablo Torre.
NBA Investigation Into Rozier Remained Open
“Terry’s investigation was never closed, so he was not cleared of anything,” a league source told Torre. “Us not being able to find something is not the same as being cleared. It is true we did not find a violation of our rules, but we did not close our investigation.”
Torre reported that the NBA hired Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, a New York-based law firm, to examine Rozier’s alleged involvement in irregular betting activity linked to his performance while with the Charlotte Hornets.
The review followed a surge of “under” prop bets placed before a March 23, 2023, game against the Philadelphia 76ers. Investigators interviewed Rozier via Zoom and searched his phone, but reportedly found no “smoking gun,” according to Torre. The case was later deferred to federal authorities, allowing Rozier to continue playing for Charlotte and, eventually, the Heat.
Federal Charges: Wire Fraud and Money Laundering
Rozier, 31, was later named in a federal indictment unsealed last week, accused of providing non-public injury information to his longtime friend Deniro Laster before the 2023 game.
Prosecutors allege Rozier told Laster he planned to exit early due to a lingering foot injury. Laster allegedly sold that information to bettors for approximately $100,000, profiting when Rozier left after just nine minutes.
According to the indictment reviewed by Heavy Sports, Rozier also financed Laster’s travel to Philadelphia, where Laster collected the winnings. Prosecutors claim Laster then drove to Rozier’s home, where the two counted the cash together. Both men have been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, as part of a larger operation that led to 34 arrests, including Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and former NBA guard Damon Jones.
Defense: ‘Confiding in a Friend Is Not a Crime’
Getty Jim Trusty, attorney for Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, talks to press outside the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, denied his client’s involvement in any gambling conspiracy, calling the federal allegations “thin.”
“Confiding in a friend, a childhood friend, and saying, ‘Man, I’m banged up, it’s the end of the season, we’re out of the playoffs, I think I’m going to sit early in this game’ — that’s not a crime,” Trusty told FOX News Channel’s The Will Cain Show. “Whatever that friend did is not on Terry.”
Trusty added, “Terry Rozier had a $100 million contract and a major shoe deal. The idea that he’d risk that for $100,000 is absurd.”
NBA, NBPA Clash Over Salary Suspension
Rozier, who was traded to Miami in 2024, is currently on administrative leave. His $26.6 million salary for the 2025–26 season is being held in escrow, pending the outcome of the case, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) has vowed to challenge the league’s decision.
“While we agree that protecting the game’s integrity is vital, placing Terry on leave without pay is counter to the presumption of innocence,” an NBPA spokesperson said in a statement to the Associated Press. “We plan to challenge the decision through proper channels.”
Rozier has posted bail, using his $6 million Florida home as collateral. If cleared, he would receive full payment of his salary and could be reinstated by the league.
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