(Image via AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
The Miami Heat have been wanting to pull the plug on the Terry Rozier experiment all offseason. Whether it’s been from being on the trade block, contemplating waive-and-stretch scenarios, or most recently— a buyout.
Rozier is coming off one of the worst seasons statistically of his entire career, averaging his worst scoring production and shooting efficiency since 2018.
Once viewed as the missing piece to a Jimmy Butler-led Heat squad with championship aspirations, Rozier has become one of the league’s worst assets.
During last season, coach Erik Spoelstra attempted to restore Rozier’s value in a shift to a sixth man role, but to no avail. Even worse, he is getting paid a near $26.5 million price tag for the upcoming 2025-26 season, despite eventually playing himself out of Spoelstra’s rotation entirely.
Unfortunately for the Heat, there have been no takers in finding a trade partner this summer. And for a team that has been dangling with the luxury tax for years, eating Rozier’s expiring salary has been viewed as a non-starter in any waive-and-stretch scenario. But what about a buyout?
Terry Rozier reportedly has not shown an interest in negotiating a buyout with the Heat.
Waiving Rozier would have dead salary on Miami’s books for several seasons, rather than have it fall off entirely after this upcoming campaign and move on. However, according to Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer, the Heat have explored the possibility of buying out Rozier’s contract entirely.
A buyout would give the veteran guard some of his owed salary upfront, but at the cost of losing a portion of it. Buyouts most commonly have made sense when both sides are willing to move on and help facilitate a player’s next landing spot as an unrestricted free agent.
The only problem is there is virtually zero market for Rozier, even at a discounted free agent price tag.
“There have been discussions about a Rozier buyout, but those talks have not gained traction, without any outside options for the veteran guard at the moment, as Rozier remains linked to a federal gambling investigation.”
— Ira Winderman/Sun Sentinel
The fact that teams wouldn’t even be interested to take a flyer on him even at a vet-minimum price tag, shows just how historically bad Rozier’s drop off has been.
Perhaps there would be more of a market if his gambling accusations clear up, but even that is wishful thinking at this point. The last chance to move him is likely to come at next year’s trade deadline, if teams are looking to clear some cap space for next offseason with his expiring salary.
Until then, Rozier will have to prove himself in training camp amid the team’s guard-heavy depth to earn a spot back in the Heat rotation.
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Omg, those lowlights in the article. I guess I haven’t seen that game, or my brain must have repressed the memory of such traumatic event.
I don’t know what the issue with Rozier is, but there has to be something behind it. 20 PPG NBA player doesn’t just turn into that.
Rozier is banking on getting his mojo back and improving his value. I’m sure he is going to come into camp pushing to earn a spot in the rotation. That’s his only option since he’s not open to giving Miami a discount on a buyout and other teams aren’t interested in him. Too much baggage.
What a fiasco. But, Terry might actually be saving the Heat front office from an unwise move.
Absolutely agree! Paying $20+m so we can add a $2.5m player seems absurd to me. They can just as easily add a player from December to the trade deadline where the contract would be pro rated and would keep them out of the tax penalty. And, as SM and many of us have said, if Rozier comes back more like the player he’s been all of his career, he will be an asset.
i want this guy off the team asap he was missing shots on purpose an nba player cant miss that bad.we need precious for backup pf/c we have nobody else .im not into salaries and aprons but terrys toast.he has legal problems as bad as his shooting problems.we got ty norm dru dav in bc thats fine.no size in fc but bam and ware precous good signing..we improve team with precous..terrys got to much baggage and drama around him he should be more worried about his freedom then his clanking.
The likelihood of Rozier purposely missing shots last season WHILE HE WAS UNDER AN ACTIVE INVESTIGATION is as likely as winning Powerball. Unless you think he’s a total psychopath, and there’s really been no indication that he is. Rozier, as opposed to quitter, has handled the situation as well as one could expect. He has not sulked or made a nuisance of himself in any way. His poor play last season likely was due to the pressures of the investigation. If he is indicted, the league will probably void his contract and the Heat would have $20+m to spend, not $2m! Buying him out is a bad idea. It’s hilarious that you now want the guy you repeatedly called a bust. The team only needs to wait 2 months into the season to sign Precious or another big. For now, they can use a combination of Vlad, Keshad, and (not a real power player) Jovic, along with staggering Bam and Ware to hold down the fort.
You mean he was intentionally missing shots like Mr. All World aka “the quitter?”
Yup