Mar 3, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier (2) warms up prior to the game against the Washington Wizards at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

NBA Teams Leaving Miami Heat Stuck With $26 Million Obstacle For Now

Originally posted on Fastbreak on SI | By Justin Grasso | Last updated Sep 9, 2025 2:41 PM ET

Terry Rozier’s Miami Heat stint isn’t all it was cracked up to be. After getting traded by the Charlotte Hornets in 2024, Rozier went from being a full-time starter to coming off the bench part-time in Miami. Now, his future with the franchise is a question mark.

As Rozier and the Heat enter the 2025-2026 NBA season, the veteran guard is gaining attention as a potential buyout candidate.

According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, buyout discussions have failed to gain notable traction. Currently, there are no interested suitors in Rozier, according to the report.

Miami Heat Face a Tough Situation

The Heat are stuck. Keeping Rozier in the rotation isn’t necessarily detrimental to what they’ve got going on, but they’ll run a risk of him getting injured.

As the SF Sun-Sentinel points out, an injury sidelining Rozier would guarantee him $26.6 million if he can’t make it through the season healthy.

It’s becoming clear that there isn’t much of a future for Rozier and the Heat together. After he plays out the 2025-2026 season, Rozier’s four-year deal will expire, and he’ll hit the free agency market in 2026-2027.

Last season, Rozier appeared in 64 games for the Heat. Seeing the court for 25.9 minutes per game, Rozier averaged 10.6 points, while shooting just 39 percent from the field and 30 percent from three. Along with his scoring, Rozier averaged 3.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.

With Rozier currently linked to a gambling-related investigation, the veteran guard doesn’t seem to have any interested suitors at the moment. Even if he’s cleared, teams might hesitate to pursue Rozier for basketball-related reasons as well.

Since having his best stretch of basketball with the Hornets in 30 games during the 2023-2024 season, Rozier’s numbers have taken a sharp dive.

With the Hornets, Rozier was averaging 23.2 points and 6.6 assists, while shooting 46 percent from the field, which all marked career highs.

When Rozier got to Miami, he finished the 2023-2024 season with 31 appearances. During that time, Rozier produced 16.4 points and 4.6 assists per game. He shot 42 percent from the field.

The 2024-2025 run with Miami was the first time Rozier averaged under 40 percent from the field since the 2018-2019 NBA season. Rozier could be a low-risk, potentially high-reward player for a team on a minimum, but as long as the investigation is unresolved, teams will simply watch from a distance.