Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier will receive his full salary while he’s away from the team in the aftermath of his arrest on gambling-related charges this week.
Exhibit F–7 of the NBA’s collective-bargaining agreement addresses the issue, stating any player on leave will ‘continue to receive his salary and other welfare benefits to which he would be entitled as an active player.’
This, however, doesn’t mean Rozier is assured of receiving his entire $26.6 million salary for the 2025-26 season. Although a previous league review into gambling claims against Rozier failed to prove he’d acted improperly, NBA commissioner Adam Silver can still ban him if he is found to have violated gambling rules.
The former Louisville star is in the final season of his four-year, $96 million deal he signed with the Hornets in 2022.
Rozier, Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and former Cleveland Cavaliers guard Damon Jones were among more than 30 individuals charged by feds for a variety of gambling-related charges. Rozier, Billups and Jones were all charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy. They have since issued public denials through their respective attorneys.
Billups is specifically accused of participating in a $7 million Mafia-linked poker scheme, while Jones was allegedly involved in a scheme to share insider injury information to bettors.
Rozier is in the last season of his four-year, $96 million deal he signed in the summer of 2022
FBI Director Kash Patel speaks during a press conference on Thursday in Brooklyn
Rozier allegedly told a childhood friend and co-conspirator he’d make an early exit from a March 2023 game, thereby ensuring easy wins to anyone betting the ‘under’ on relevant prop bets, according to the indictment.
A member of the Charlotte Hornets at the time, Rozier did end up leaving the game against the New Orleans Pelicans in the first quarter, allowing the ‘under’ bets to hit. He’s accused of sharing in the winnings with his alleged co-conspirators.
‘The fraud is mindboggling,’ FBI Director Kash Patel said while announcing the charges in Brooklyn this week. ‘We’re talking about tens of millions of dollars in theft, in fraud, in robbery.’
Rozier’s attorney attacked federal efforts against his client in a Thursday statement.
‘A long time ago we reached out to these prosecutors to tell them we should have an open line of communication,’ attorney Jim Trusty said in the statement. ‘They characterized Terry as a subject, not a target, but at 6am this morning they called to tell me FBI agents were trying to arrest him in a hotel.
‘They appear to be taking the word of spectacularly in-credible sources rather than relying on actual evidence of wrongdoing,’ he continued. ‘Terry was cleared by the NBA and these prosecutors revived that non-case. Terry is not a gambler, but he is not afraid of a fight, and he looks forward to winning this fight.’
In addition to the NBA figures, there are 13 purported Mafia members who have been indicted, allegedly representing the Bonano, Gambino and Genovese crime families.
