Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier is one of the team’s trade candidates, according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.
“Aside from [Jimmy] Butler, the top Heat trade candidates are Miami’s future first-round draft picks and Terry Rozier, according to NBA executives who’ve spoken with HoopsHype,” Scotto wrote. “The 30-year-old guard was recently moved to the bench as his scoring production is the lowest in eight years. Rozier is owed $24.92 million this season and is guaranteed $24.92 million next season, with another $1.72 million non-guaranteed. Rozier’s remaining salary becomes fully guaranteed if his team participates in the conference semifinals and he plays in at least 70 regular season games.”
The Heat acquired Rozier in a trade with the Charlotte Hornets during the 2023-24 season, but it hasn’t been the smoothest transition to Miami for the former first-round pick.
Last season, Rozier appeared in 31 games for the Heat (30 starts) and averaged 16.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game while shooting 42.3 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from beyond the arc.
Rozier’s numbers during the 2023-24 season took a hit once he came to Miami, as he averaged less points (23.2 per game in Charlotte compared to 16.4 in Miami) and shot worse from the field with the Heat (42.3 percent in Miami compared to 45.9 percent in Charlotte).
Switching teams in the middle of a season is certainly an adjustment, but Rozier has gotten off to a slow start this season as well, averaging just 13.0 points per game on 40.4 percent shooting from the field in 16 games (12 starts).
In addition to his shooting struggles, Rozier hasn’t been healthy at times in his Miami tenure. He missed the team’s entire first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics last season due to a neck injury.
This season, Rozier has missed two games for the Heat, who are just 9-9 through their first 18 contests. Still, Miami holds the No. 6 seed in the East and should be in the mix to make the playoffs.
If the Heat feel that they can flip Rozier for an upgrade, they may decide to do so this season since Butler may be in his final campaign with the team. Butler has a player option for the 2025-26 season, but he could opt out of that and become a free agent following the 2024-25 season.
For now, the Heat are hoping Rozier can turn into the impactful player they thought they were trading for last season.
Miami will take on the Boston Celtics on Monday night at 7:30 p.m. EST at TD Garden in Boston.
