Heat receive second-round pick from NBA as Rozier compensation, first-rounder still due Hornets

Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun Sentinel on Mar 9, 2026

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MIAMI – Even as the Terry Rozier gambling case drags through the federal court system, the Miami Heat now have resolution when it comes to compensation from their January 2024 trade with the Charlotte Hornets.

At the time of that trade that sent out guard Kyle Lowry and a lottery-protected future first-round pick, Rozier already had been investigated by the NBA for potential involvement in a gambling scandal. The league and Hornets were aware of that investigation at the time of the deal, with the Heat not provided with such details.

In response to Rozier being placed on NBA leave the morning after the Heat’s Oct. 22 season opener against the Orlando Magic, with Rozier arrested in Orlando, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said he would seek to determine equitable compensation for the Heat being left in the dark.

That compensation arrived Monday, with the league informing the Heat they would receive as additional compensation from the Hornets in the form of a second-round pick in this coming June’s draft that Charlotte is owed from either the Golden State Warriors or the Denver Nuggets. Based on the current standings, that second-round pick is to come from the Warriors. Entering Monday’s play, that pick would be at No. 44.

The Heat declined to comment on Silver’s decision.

The Heat otherwise do not hold a second-round pick in June’s draft. The Heat technically would receive the Brooklyn Nets’ second-round pick if it is No. 55 or higher, but that would require the Nets to finish with one of the league’s top five records, with that possibility already eliminated.

What the resolution does not resolve is the Heat remaining hamstrung by the first-round pick due the Hornets. That pick conveys in 2027 if it is not among the first 14, which are the lottery picks. Otherwise it goes to the Hornets unprotected in 2028.

Because of NBA rules prohibiting teams from trading away successive future first-round picks, the obligation to the Hornets means the Heat currently cannot trade with 2026, ’27, ’28 or ’29 first-round picks.

Rozier remains on the Heat roster and payroll, although he can be waived at any time should the team desire to add an additional player. An arbitrator recently ruled that Rozier must directly be paid his full $26.6 million salary this season, which previously had been placed in an interest-bearing escrow-type account by the NBA.

The Heat bypassed a January opportunity to save the $1.7 million non-guaranteed portion of Rozier’s 2025-26 salary in order to sign another player, preferring to retain his salary for a possible deal at the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline. The Heat then were idle at the deadline, with Rozier listed nightly by the Heat as “not with team.”

Rozier, 31, was arraigned in December in Brooklyn federal court, pleading not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He was released on $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 currently still counts against the Heat’s salary cap and luxury tax.

Rozier is accused of being part of an illegal betting scheme in which he allegedly alerted gamblers he intended to leave a game early in order to make money off a prop bet tied to his performance. That game was when he still was a member of the Hornets.

During the NBA Cup final rounds in Las Vegas in December, Silver said of the Heat’s situation in the Rozier case, “In terms of Miami, this is an unprecedented situation. I think I’m incredibly sympathetic to the Heat and to their fans. But I think we’re going to try to work something through, work this out with them.”

Silver also said, “But there’s no obvious solution here, would just say that there’s no doubt at the moment they have a player that can’t perform services for them. And as to the draft pick they conveyed — obviously he hasn’t been convicted of anything yet, either, but this is an unfortunate circumstance.

“But sometimes there’s unique events and maybe sometimes they require unique solutions. We’ll be looking at this with the Heat and the other teams in the league and see if there’s any satisfactory relief, but at the moment there is none.”

Then came Monday’s decision, which, at best, came off as a compromise.

The Heat have had success in the second round of the draft over the years, including selections such as Pelle Larsson, Mario Chalmers and Josh Richardson.

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