Heat had no idea about FBI betting probe before Terry Rozier trade

There was a time when the Terry Rozier trade made sense.

Now, the deal looks like one of the worst of this era after Rozier was arrested as part of a multi-case FBI sports betting investigation involving four Mafia families.

The January 2024 deal was Kyle Lowry and his expiring $29.6 million to Charlotte for Rozier, who was in the second year of a four-year contract. Rozier made $23.2 million the season he was dealt and he is currently on an expiring $26.6 million contract.

On top of this being a cap-saving move for Rozier — then having a career year — the deal saw Miami send a 2027 first-round draft choice to the Hornets, who later bought out the struggling and declining Lowry, clearing the way for him to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers.

But amid all the basketball and financial reasons for the deal, the Heat were reportedly left in the dark about Rozier’s ongoing betting scandal.

According to the Miami Herald, no team — including the Heat — was informed by the NBA of any red flags in the months that followed.

The Heat also weren’t aware of any red flags before the trade was ultimately approved.

Rozier was charged for allegedly conspiring to help others win prop bets involving his performance during a game.

The game in question regarding suspicious betting activity around Rozier props stems from a March 23, 2023, contest against the Pelicans, in which the guard, then a Hornet, left early due to an injury. There was an abnormal amount of betting action detected on Rozier unders. Rozier has denied the charges through his lawyer.

Afterward, Rozier sat out the remaining eight Hornets games on the season, in which the team went 4-4.

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Charlotte, which was 24-51 at the conclusion of the Pelicans game, finished with the NBA’s fourth-worst record and ended up with the No. 2 overall pick in the famous Victor Wembanyama draft, where they selected highly-touted Alabama wing Brandon Miller.

Rozier was arrested and released on October 23 after posting a $6 million bond.

The Heat, in January of 2024, were a 24-19 team seven months removed from an improbable trip to the NBA Finals despite being an eight-seed.

At the time of the deal, Rozier had been averaging a career-best 23.6 points in 30 games with the Hornets that season, also dishing out 6.6 assists per contest while putting up 46/36/85 shooting splits.

With the Heat, Rozier averaged 16.4 points and 4.6 assists in 31 games, dropping to 42.3 percent from the field and 37 percent on threes in a starting role, though on a more talented roster than what he had in Charlotte.

Last season, he was statistically among the worst players in the NBA.

In 2024-25, Rozier appeared in 64 games and, in 25.9 minutes per contest, averaged just 10.6 points and 2.6 assists while shooting a woeful 39.1 percent from the field and 29.5 percent on threes.

Rozier didn’t play in either of the first two Heat games this season.