Miami Heat veteran and All-Star caliber guard Norman Powell gave his point of view on the Terry Rozier arrest.
As the Miami Heat continue with the NBA regular season, Terry Rozier remains away from the team due to an ongoing federal investigation involving illegal sports betting. The 31-year-old pleaded not guilty earlier this month on two charges: conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He was initially arrested on Oct. 23rd, a day before the team's season opener. However, this case goes back to his time with the Charlotte Hornets, when the league conducted its own investigation but found no wrongdoing.
A year later, the Heat acquired Rozier in a midseason trade in exchange for Kyle Lowry and a 2027 first-round pick. After coming off his worst statistical season since 2019, the veteran guard was set to make $26.64 million, with his contract expiring. He's the fourth-highest paid player on the roster, but there's no belief in the organization receiving cap relief or draft compensation.
There's also been uncertainty about whether or not Rozier can be traded; however, the Heat will operate as if they can without any resistance from the league.
Commissioner Adam Silver recently commented on the situation, mentioning there's "no obvious solution."
"This is an unfortunate circumstance," he said. "We'll be looking at this with the Heat and the other teams in the league to see if there's any satisfactory relief."
Regardless, the Heat haven't allowed Rozier's case to affect their season, currently sitting with a 15-12 record, coming off a good win against the Brooklyn Nets last night, which snapped a five-game losing streak.
Norman Powell, another Heat veteran on the roster, in a recent episode of the "Ball in the Family" podcast, hosted by Lonzo and LiAngelo Ball, revealed the initial reactions when the events first happened.
"So I wasn't here when the first wave hit," the 32-year-old said. "I think everybody was more in shock because we thought it was passed. He got cleared with the NBA. I think everybody was more in shock that something else happened after that. Especially with the way they did it, us being in Orlando, getting him out of the hotel, I think more people were in shock about it. I was here for three weeks and I didn't really know much of what was going on. It's definitely a tough situation."
Powell alluded to his relationship with Rozier dating back to 2015, when they both were drafted. He also shared how they competed against one another in a workout in Minnesota.
"I wish the best for him," he added. "It's a crazy situation."
The Heat will have representation at Rozier's next court hearing. However, this case will likely surpass the regular season. There's no telling how it will end, but it continues to get interesting.
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