![\"Miami](\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_6000,h_3375\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images\/GettyImages\/mmsport\/115\/01jt8tmh62ppyse6p7as.jpg\")
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There\u2019s no two ways about it: The Miami Heat\u2019s acquisition of Terry Rozier has been a bust. But they can\u2019t make the same mistake twice just to get out of the Rozier business.<\/p>\n
The Heat traded Kyle Lowry\u2019s expiring contract and a first-round pick to the Charlotte Hornets for Rozier last January. Since then, Rozier had his first season derailed by a neck injury, was removed from the starting lineup and posted some of the worst numbers of his career.<\/p>\n
Rozier has one more year left on his contract. It\u2019s guaranteed for $24.9 million of the $26.6 million total value, so waiving him outright doesn\u2019t make sense.<\/p>\n
Some have suggested that the Heat should do whatever they can to rid themselves of Rozier\u2019s contract, including pairing him with an asset sweetener to convince a team to take his remaining salary. That would be a mistake.<\/p>\n
The Heat can\u2019t give away assets to free themselves of a contract that will be off the books next June. They only have three tradeable first-round picks. It would take at least one to convince any team to take on Rozier\u2019s contract. Those picks are earmarked for use in a star trade.<\/p>\n
The Heat felt similar pressure in Lowry\u2019s final season. His decline had become a problem and the Heat desperately needed an upgrade at that position. So they shipped Lowry\u2019s expiring salary and a 2027 first-round pick to Charlotte for Rozier, who was averaging 23 points per game for the Hornets prior to the trade.<\/p>\n
It was viewed as a minor upgrade even then, but a necessary one as the Heat struggled in the season following their 2023 Finals run.<\/p>\n
But that proved to be a mistake. Not only because Rozier failed to help the roster, but also because the Heat ended up losing a first-round pick and getting saddled with another big contract in the process.<\/p>\n
Going into this offseason, the Heat have plenty of high-end role players and All-Stars. What they don\u2019t have is the No. 1 scoring option to make it all come together.<\/p>\n
Maybe the Heat can use Rozier\u2019s expiring salary to help facilitate a trade for a star. If not, that\u2019s OK. The Heat would be better off going into next season with Rozier still on the roster than using valuable assets to get rid of a contract that will come off the books this time next year.<\/p>\n The Miami Heat can’t part with valuable draft capital just to get off of Terry Rozier’s contract.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":58431,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-58430","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba"],"yoast_head":"\n