The Miami Heat face an uncertain short-term future.
After flipping five-time All-NBA small forward Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors at this season's trade deadline, the club handed the keys to its offense to first-time All-Star shooting guard Tyler Herro.
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Meanwhile, three-time All-Star big man Bam Adebayo had an uneven season, one that saw him shifted to a starting power forward role to accommodate double-double machine rookie Kel'el Ware at the five spot. In the modern game, Adebayo's lack of a jumper beyond the arc created some spacing issues after the move.
This summer, the team saw longtime 3-point marksman wing Duncan Robinson depart for the Detroit Pistons in a sign-and-trade. Miami replaced some of his shooting with a trade for former L.A. Clippers scoring guard Norman Powell.
According to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald, the Heat's front office has been chatting about whether it wants to outright cut him - $24.9 million of his $26.6 million contract is already guaranteed - or retain him as potential trade fodder to include in a deal for a star player.
The Heat are also apparently considering a reunion with their former 2020 first-round draft pick Precious Achiuwa, who most recently suited up for the New York Knicks last season.
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Complicating things further is the reality that Rozier remains under investigation for his involvement in an illegal gambling scheme.
"In March 2023, the NBA was alerted to unusual betting activity related to Terry Rozier's performance in a game between Charlotte and New Orleans," NBA spokesman Mike Bass said in a statement this past January, per Erich Richter of The New York Post. Rozier was still with the Hornets at the time.
ESPN's David Purdum confirms that Rozier has yet to be officially cleared in the investigation. Depending on the nature of the infraction, the 6-foot-1 point guard faces a potential league ban, which was recently implemented against two-way big Jontay Porter.
The Louisville product, 31, has been a major disappointment since arriving in Miami. He was averaging 23.2 points on .459/.358/.845 shooting splits and 6.6 assists prior to his 2024 midseason trade to the Heat from Charlotte. This past season, he averaged just 10.6 points on .391/.295/.852 shooting splits, 3.7 boards, 2.6 dimes and 0.6 steals a night in 64 games (23 starts).
Another report that surfaced last week indicated that Miami had been angling to trade Rozier. The fact that the club is considering just waiving him now is a clear indicator that even his short-term fate on the team may be a bit more tenuous.
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