On September 10, Heat's reporter Ira Winderman broke the news: defender Terry Rozier and the team's discussion on the buyout has made no progress. The reason is not that the Heat is unwilling to take action, but that Rozier himself has no interest in this.
The 30-year-old defender holds a contract worth $26.6 million, of which $24.9 million is guaranteed. But he would rather stay on the Heat bench than enter the free market to test the waters - because he was sober that he might not be interested in it.
The key reason why Rozier is reluctant to buy out is that he is still associated with a federal gambling investigation.
Although the NBA internal investigation has ended and no violations were found, the federal investigation has not formally clarified his suspicion. This shadow makes any team hesitate when considering signing him.
Rozier's salary this season is as high as $26.6 million, but his performance on the court is difficult to match this huge contract.
Last season, he averaged only 10.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game, and his three-point shooting percentage was as low as 29.5%. Such data obviously cannot make other teams willing to take over his big contract.
The Heat traded a first-round draft pick and Kyle Lowry for Rozier before the 2024 trade deadline, hoping that he can become the core of the backcourt. However, his performance was far worse than expected, and his playing time gradually decreased.
The Heat originally hoped to buy out Rozier and free up their salary space to strengthen their inside strength. But now this plan has come to a standstill.
Due to the NBA luxury tax restrictions, the Heat cannot free up enough salary space even if they sign a veteran's basic salary player. Buying out Rozier was originally the only solution, but now the two sides are in a stalemate.
The Heat can also choose to give up Rozier before the NBA contract guarantee deadline, January 10, 2026. But it's extremely risky - if Rozier misses the entire season due to injury, his $26.6 million contract will be fully effective.
About Rozier's future, everything will not gradually become clear until the team training camp begins on September 30.
Whether it is for the Heat or Rozier himself, this is a big bet. What the Heat bet is whether they can find trading partners during the season; what the Rozier bet is whether they can prove their worth with their performance.
There are few examples in NBA history where players would rather give up huge contracts than buy out. Rozier's case once again proves that when players' performance declines and off-court turmoil continues, no matter how big the contract is, it will become a "negative asset."
The Heat and team reporter Winderman expressed the reality: "There has been discussions about Rozier's buyout, but these negotiations have not made any progress." The team's training camp will begin on September 30, when Rozier's figure is likely to still appear in the Heat.
