NBA: Arbitrator- Heat must pay Terry Rozier's salary, trade situation unclear

Miami guard Terry Rozier will receive his $26.6 million salary for the current season after an arbitrator ruled on Monday that the Heat could not withhold his pay while he awaits trial on federal charges tied to a sports-betting investigation.

Rozier, 31, was arrested on October 23 and charged with wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering. He pleaded not guilty and is free on a $3 million bond.

The Heat placed Rozier on administrative leave and began depositing his paychecks into an interest-bearing escrow account.

The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) filed for arbitration on Rozier’s behalf, arguing that he was entitled to receive his salary. The arbitrator sided with the union.

“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,” the NBPA said in a statement.

Rozier’s lawyer, Jim Trusty, added, “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.”

According to ESPN, the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement allows teams to withhold a player’s pay only in cases involving child abuse or domestic abuse.

With the NBA trade deadline set for Thursday, it remains unclear whether Rozier could be traded. The guard is in the final season of a four-year, $96 million contract.

Rozier is accused of alerting gamblers that he would leave a game early while playing for the Charlotte Hornets in March 2023. The gamblers reportedly bet large sums on the "under" for Rozier’s stats in that game.

Last season with Miami, Rozier averaged 10.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in 64 games, including 23 starts. Over 10 NBA seasons with the Boston Celtics, Charlotte, and Miami, he has career averages of 13.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.5 assists.

—Field Level Media/Reuters