NBA History First! Hornets Send Second-Round Pick to Heat to Settle Rozier Trade Dispute from Two Years Ago

On March 10 Beijing time, according to ESPN reports, the Charlotte Hornets will send a 2026 second-round draft pick to the Miami Heat to resolve a dispute arising from the 2024 trade of Terry Rozier—Rozier was then under investigation by the NBA and federal authorities for involvement in a gambling conspiracy. This second-round pick will be the better one between the Warriors' or Nuggets' 2026 second-round selections.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stated in December that the league would consider providing the Heat with some form of "reasonable compensation" since Rozier is currently unable to play. Silver said at the time: "This is an unprecedented situation."

For the league and the Heat, this matter involves multiple issues: Rozier's $26.6 million salary occupies about 17% of the team's salary cap, and according to the terms of the original Rozier trade, the Heat still need to send a 2027 or 2028 first-round pick to the Hornets.

It is currently unclear whether the Heat knew Rozier was under federal investigation when they completed the trade with the Hornets. Rozier has pleaded not guilty to charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Federal prosecutors allege: While playing for the Hornets, Rozier informed associates that he would leave early from a game in March 2023; his associates then sold this information to gambling operators, who subsequently wagered over $200,000 on Rozier's personal statistics in that game.

According to ESPN, in February this year, an arbitrator ruled in favor of Rozier in a salary dispute with the NBA after Rozier was indicted in the gambling case.

Last October, after Rozier was arrested and indicted in the federal gambling investigation, the Heat and the NBA agreed to place his 2025-26 season salary into an escrow account. This investigation also led to the indictment of Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups.

The Players Association has appealed the agreement that temporarily withheld approximately $26.6 million in salary.