Terry Rozier’s Heat tenure now entering its final week, with two-way player expected to be elevated
MIAMI — The final week of Terry Rozier’s tenure is now at hand, with the Miami Heat within the next week having to waive the veteran guard in order to be able to sign a roster replacement, a replacement likely to be one of the team’s three current two-way players being upgraded to a standard contract. While players can be signed until the April 12 final day of the NBA season, in order to have Rozier clear waivers and open the 15th and final standard roster spot that Rozier currently occupies, he would have to be waived by 5 p. m.
April 9. Such timing would allow Rozier to clear the 48-hour waiver period ahead of the season finale. While Rozier’s status on the personnel market had been unclear earlier this season as he first was arrested in an FBI gambling probe and later charged with federal wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy, the Heat have been informed by the league that they are allowed to waive Rozier.
While Rozier has not played for the Heat this season, having been arrested in Orlando on Oct. 23 in the hours after the Heat’s regular-season opener against the Magic, his contract became fully guaranteed at the NBA’s Jan. 10 deadline, with an arbitrator later ruling the league could not withhold Rozier’s salary in an escrow-type account, as initially had been done.
Rozier, 31, was arraigned in December in Brooklyn federal court, pleading not guilty to the charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He was released on a $3 million bond secured by his home in South Florida. Should he be found guilty or reach a plea deal, it is possible the Heat would be able to claw back his salary, which this season has fully counted against the Heat’s salary cap and luxury tax.
The Heat bypassed a January opportunity to save the $1. 7 million non-guaranteed portion of Rozier’s $26. 6 million 2025-26 salary in order to sign another player, preferring to retain his salary for a possible deal at the Feb.
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