Overview
- Miami declined to waive Rozier before the Jan. 7 cutoff, making his full $26.6 million cap hit guaranteed and forgoing roughly $1.7 million in immediate savings.
- The decision preserves the ability to use his expiring contract in salary-matching before the Feb. 5 trade deadline, though the NBA has not publicly said if such a trade would be allowed.
- Rozier is not playing this season while on NBA leave, his salary is parked in an interest-bearing escrow account, and an NBPA arbitration ruling on the practice is expected this month.
- Commissioner Adam Silver has called the situation unprecedented and said the league will work with Miami on a resolution, with reporting noting potential relief discussions tied to a future first-round pick owed to Charlotte.
- Rozier has pleaded not guilty to federal wire-fraud and money-laundering conspiracy charges linked to alleged 2023 prop bets, is free on a $3 million bond, and has a March court date after his lawyers moved to dismiss the case.