Hornets send 2026 second-round pick to Heat to close Rozier trade dispute
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The Charlotte Hornets will transfer a 2026 second-round draft choice to the Miami Heat, ending a months-long disagreement linked to Terry Rozier’s ongoing NBA and federal gambling investigations, according to multiple sources.
Miami will receive the more favorable of Golden State’s or Denver’s 2026 second-round selections. The arrangement follows commissioner Adam Silver’s December statement that the league would seek “satisfactory relief” for the Heat because Rozier is currently ineligible to play.
Rozier’s $26.6 million salary accounts for roughly 17% of Miami’s salary cap, and the Heat still owe Charlotte a first-round pick in 2027 or 2028 from the 2024 trade that brought the guard to South Florida. It remains unclear whether anyone involved in that deal knew Rozier was under federal scrutiny at the time.
Federal prosecutors allege Rozier informed an associate he planned to exit a March 2023 game early while still with Charlotte. The associate then allegedly sold the tip to bettors, who wagered more than $200,000 on unders for Rozier’s statistics. Rozier has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy counts of wire fraud and money laundering.
An arbitrator ruled in February that Rozier should receive his full salary after the NBA and the Heat placed his 2025-26 pay—also approximately $26.6 million—in escrow following his October indictment. The National Basketball Players Association has appealed the escrow decision.
The federal probe that ensnared Rozier also led to charges against Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups.
Source: ESPN
