The player review series is officially back! We are nearly one month removed from the conclusion of the 2024-25 Miami Heat season, which was one of the worst since the turn of the century. Over the next several (week)days, we will be reviewing how each Heat player performed throughout the 2024-25 season, recapping important numbers, best game(s) and their future outlook with the team. Today, we will be reviewing Terry Rozier, who struggled heavily in his first full season for Miami.
Let’s dive into it— and if you’ve missed any of our previous reviews, click below!
- Bam Adebayo
- Kyle Anderson
- Alec Burks
- Tyler Herro
- Haywood Highsmith
- Jaime Jaquez Jr.
- Keshad Johnson
- Nikola Jovic
- Pelle Larsson
- Kevin Love
- Davion Mitchell
- Duncan Robinson
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Brief Overview:
2024-25 stats (64 games):
- 10.6 PTS
- 3.7 REB
- 2.6 AST
- 0.6 STLS
- 25.9 MIN
- 39.1 FG%
- 29.5 3P%
- 49.7 TS%
Once viewed as a potential needle moving acquisition to maximize the Jimmy Butler era window, the 2024-25 campaign went as badly as it possibly could have for Terry Rozier. Despite showing glimpses of much needed scoring production in the backcourt after the Heat traded for him a year ago, his final stretch of the 2023-24 season ended early due to a mysterious neck injury. Still, there were high hopes that Rozier would benefit from a full training camp with Miami after being cleared to return to the court again.
But instead, the 10th-year veteran put together arguably the worst season of his entire career. And he had plenty of opportunities to turn things around. In fact, coach Erik Spoelstra had Rozier slotted as the opening night starting point guard alongside Tyler Herro in the backcourt. As the season progressed, Rozier saw that starting role dwindle to the bench, and then ultimately getting DNP’s, coach’s decision, entirely.
Numbers To Note:
18.5 – As mentioned, Rozier was given plenty of chances to impress Heat Nation. For the month of October, which was only a four-game sample size, he showed some signs of scoring production at the very least. He averaged 18.5 points across those first four matchups to open the Heat’s season. Unfortunately, he was a negative in nearly every other aspect of the game. His overall efficiency was a bit shaky, along with committing turnovers and essentially being a non-factor defensively.
Outside of one of those four games where Rozier shot 58.3% from the field, he struggled for most of that stretch as a brief starter. And that sample size was just the beginning of a disaster season to come.
29.5 – In an era where 3-point shooting has become so pivotal to team success, Rozier was awful from that department all season long. In fact, his abysmal 29.5% from deep for the year was the worst of his career since his rookie season with the Boston Celtics back in 2015-16. He has generally always been known as a streaky shooter, but Rozier took that notion to a whole new dissapointing level in his first full campaign in the 305. His inability to provide any bit of floor spreading only negatively impacted his playing time as the year progressed.
Best game?
On December 21, 2024, Rozier posted a season-high 23 points in a road loss against the Orlando Magic. Additionally, he shot 53% from the field on 8 of 15 shooting overall. That game, along with that timeframe of the Heat’s season, showed some sort of promise with Rozier as a potentially impactful sixth man off the bench. However, even a desperate role change for the veteran was far from enough to ignite a turnaround.
To make matters worse, Rozier’s best game of the season was spoiled in a devastating 20+ point blown lead to Orlando in that outing.
What’s next?
The only thing that’s lived up to Rozier’s “Scary Terry” nickname has been just how scary his acquisition hasn’t worked out. It could go down as the worst trade pickup up in Heat franchise history, and the fact that Miami gave up draft capital only makes it look even worse. Now, Riley and the entire organization have to eat another wasted year of Rozier’s near $26 million expiring salary on the books.
Ideally, that expiring salary could help facilitate a trade this offseason. But at this point, Rozier is clearly a negative asset in terms of on-court production. Perhaps a change of scenery could benefit the 31 year-old, but that would entail another team still somehow trusting his abilities.
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For whatever reason(s) Rozier had a terrible year. He’ll have this summer to reconcile why and come into camp re-focused and re-energized. Since he is being paid $26.6M in 2025-2026, he should be given an opportunity to prove that this terrible time in his life/career is behind him. If he does find his mojo, he will be easier to play (off the bench if not as a starter) and easier to trade. I wish him the best and am hopeful for all concerned that last year was just an anomaly and the root cause(s) have been resolved. Who knows, he may come in to camp prepared to play the best basketball of his career. That would be an unexpected and welcome surprise.