The Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday sent guard Terry Rozier to the Miami Heat in exchange for Kyle Lowry and a 2027 first round pick.
Rozier's former Hornets teammates were clearly taken by surprise and will miss him.
Damn 3 😕😕
— Miles Bridges (@MilesBridges) January 23, 2024
— Melo (@MELOD1P) January 23, 2024
While LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges seemed shocked at their Hornets teammate's departure, the move shouldn't come as a huge surprise. The Heat have long been linked to Rozier, dating back to last season, and he fits the team's need for an athletic guard who can help make a difference on both sides of the court. Best of all, from the Heat's perspective, Rozier will be able to take a significant amount of pressure off the backs of Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler on offense.
In addition to trading Lowry, the Heat sent a 2027 first-round pick to the Hornets. This pick is lottery-protected, meaning that Miami would keep the first-round pick in 2027 should it land in the 1-14 range. If that were to happen, they would instead send their 2028 first-round pick with no protections to the Hornets.
While many anticipate Lowry being bought out and hitting the free agent market, the Hornets are expected to first shop Lowry and his expiring contract around to see if they can snag another asset.
The Hornets continue to rebuild and have made the first of what could be many moves to sell at this year's trade deadline.
The Hornets are next in action on Wednesday night when they visit the Detroit Pistons.
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