The federal charges against Terry Rozier have renewed scrutiny on how the NBA and its teams handle trade disclosures. The guard pleaded not guilty Monday in Brooklyn federal court for alleged involvement in an illegal sports-betting scheme. Prosecutors claim that while he played with the Charlotte Hornets, Rozier tipped off associates that he planned to leave a 2023 game early — enabling bettors to profit on “unders.”
The case raises a key question: did the acquiring team, the Miami Heat, know about the investigation when they traded for him?
What Rules Say (and Don’t) About Trade Disclosures
Under current NBA trade rules, teams must swap medical and insurance information before finalizing trades. The rulebook also prohibits “material misrepresentation or failing to disclose other material information.”
However, former front-office insiders now call the requirement for disclosing ongoing investigations a “gray area.” As one league executive told ESPN: disclosing Rozier’s federal probe was not strictly mandatory under the existing rules.
The ambiguity leaves room for vastly different interpretations. One executive argued the Heat should have been told. Another countered that ruling a player guilty before a trial would unfairly punish him and derail a valid trade.
Miami’s Dilemma — And What It Might Do Next
When the Heat acquired Rozier — trading away a 2027 lottery-protected first-round pick and veteran guard Kyle Lowry — they believed he was a low-risk addition.
ESPN reports the Heat did not know about the federal probe. They only learned of it after media reports surfaced months later.
Now, Miami might consider filing a grievance with the league. Some league sources believe the Heat could seek recourse under the notion that they traded for a player under investigation and unaware of that risk.
Bigger Picture: Will NBA Change Its Trade Protocols?
Several team executives think the Rozier case could force the league to tighten trade-disclosure policies. NBA officials may need to decide whether ongoing investigations count as “material information.”
One senior exec told ESPN, “The league might exonerate a player, but they always have the right to open the investigation if they learn new information.”
For now, though, the Heat and Hornets remain locked in silence. The league has not changed its trade confirmation process — but if public pressure grows, it may not be long before the rules evolve.
