The Miami Heat traded for guard Terry Rozier in January 2024, unaware that the federal government was investigating him for an illegal sports gambling scheme.
The Charlotte Hornets and the NBA were reportedly aware of the investigation, yet they still permitted the trade to proceed. Now, the Heat have his $26.6 million salary counting against the salary cap, all while being unable to cut him or sign another player while he’s on indefinite unpaid leave.
When asked about it, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver described the situation as “unfortunate and unprecedented,” but he didn’t offer a specific solution.
Adam Silver is failing Heat and fans
“We’re going to try to work something through, work this out with them,” Silver said, per ESPN. “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. … Obviously, he hasn’t been convicted of anything yet either — but this is an unfortunate circumstance. Sometimes there’s these unique events and maybe sometimes they require a unique solution.”
While Rozier isn’t getting paid right now — his withheld salary is being placed in an escrow account — he’s still technically entitled to that money. However, that leaves the Heat in a tough spot, and the commissioner has yet to give them a hand.
The trade should be rescinded, as the Hornets were aware of the investigation. The Heat should get their 2027 lottery-protected pick back, and Rozier’s salary should be cleared off the books.
The NBA has gotten more involved with sportsbooks during the Silver administration, and this incident was both predictable and avoidable. Moreover, it occurred under his watch. Silver’s job is to protect the integrity of the game, and the lack of accountability and solutions only adds more fire to an already complicated situation.
