Terry Rozier Wins Battle for $26.6M Salary Amid Gambling Investigation

Terry Rozier will be paid his $26.6 million salary this season after an arbitrator ruled that the Miami Heat is liable to pay the player despite his ongoing gambling investigation.

The Heat had agreed with the NBA to put Rozier’s salary for the 2025-26 season in escrow, a temporary holding account, after the player was arrested and indicted in October. The player’s association (NBPA) appealed that decision, and on Monday, an arbitrator ruled in Rozier’s favor.

The decision to pay Rozier cited rules under which a player can only be put on unpaid leave in cases of domestic abuse or child abuse. Rozier, meanwhile, is facing charges of wire fraud and money laundering in relation to allegedly informing a close friend, Deniro Laster, that he would exit a game early when playing for the Charlotte Hornets in 2023.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and his attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the case. The government is due to respond to that motion this week.

Innocent Until Proven Guilty

Rozier’s attorney Jim Trusty celebrated the decision as upholding the American principle that a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

In comments reported by ESPN, Trusty stated, “Terry won today under principles of contract law and the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the league and the players, but the bigger principle at issue is the presumption of innocence. Today’s arbitration ruling reminds the NBA that they can’t ignore that important concept just because it’s a high-profile case.”

A spokesperson for the NBPA similarly said, “We are pleased with the arbitrator’s ruling and remain committed to ensuring Terry’s due process rights are protected and that he is afforded the presumption of innocence throughout this process.”

Prosecutors, however, have already all but declared him guilty. When announcing his arrest, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated, “As the NBA season tips off, his career is already benched. Not for injury, but for integrity.”

Malik Beasley has had his NBA career derailed after suspicious betting activity was noted on his prop markets. Unlike Rozier, news of the investigation broke when he was still negotiating a new contract with the Detroit Pistons. As a result, the team withdrew from talks, and Beasley has been forced to accept a far lower contract offer in Serbia.

Rozier Continued To Play and Be Paid Despite Allegations

Rozier, however, continued to play and be paid despite suspicions of his involvement in a match-fixing scheme. Suspicions were raised on the day of the game in question as sportsbooks flagged unusual betting activity on Rozier’s prop markets.

Caesars Sportsbook contacted the Mississippi Gaming Commission to inform them of the wagers. The sportsbook wanted to withhold winnings, but the commission ruled there was insufficient evidence to prove bets were placed using insider information.

In an email sent to Caesars, the commission stated, “Has Caesars been able to come up with any evidence to support this being insider information? If not, the property – which I believe is Harrah’s Gulf Coast/Caesars – will need to pay out the wagers.” 

Rozier himself is not accused of directly accepting money in relation to the information that he would exit a game early. Prosecutors allege that he told Laster, who then was paid by bettors, including Marves Fairley and Shane Hennen, who wagered around $200,000 on his unders markets.

The NBA cleared Rozier of any wrongdoing in its 2023 investigation, but the player remained under federal investigation.

Defendants Face Judgment

The investigation has rumbled on and led to indictments against Rozier as well as Jontay Porter, Chauncey Billups, and Damon Jones. The four men are all accused of providing confidential information to bettors, directly or indirectly. The bettors, including Fairley and Hennen, then profited by wagering on various games.

The first defendant in the case was sentenced to two years in prison last month. Timothy McCormack confessed to placing bets on Porter’s prop bets after the player allegedly told bettors he would exit games early.

Porter has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. Rozier continues to deny the charges and remains on the Heat roster. He – or perhaps more accurately, his contract – has been used as bargaining in a trade with the Milwaukee Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo.