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Miami Heat star Terry Rozier is currently being investigated by federal prosecutors for the chance of being involved in an “illegal sports betting scheme” according to Jared Diamond of The Washington Post. The news comes after the Heat lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday when Rozier had 23 points, but the guard is being questioned that he “manipulated his performance” in March of 2023 with the Charlotte Hornets.
Another important note is that the government's look into Rozier is part of a wider initiative that found the wrongdoings of former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter.
“Federal prosecutors have been investigating whether NBA player Terry Rozier manipulated his performance as part of an illegal sports betting scheme,” Diamond wrote on his X, formerly Twitter. “The inquiry is part of a wider government investigation that has already ensnared Jontay Porter.”
According to Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel, the Heat have referred requests to comment to the NBA's statement which read that the association did their own investigation and “did not find a violation of NBA rules.”
“The league conducted an investigation and did not find a violation of NBA rules. We are now aware of an investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York related to this matter and have been cooperating with that investigation.”
Looking at the gambling ring that would help in manipulating performances for Porter, the same has been accused for a game in March 2023 as said before when Rozier was with the Hornets via The Washington Post.
“The gambling ring accused of conspiring with Jontay Porter to manipulate his performance in NBA games also bet heavily against Rozier in a 2023 game for the Hornets,” Diamond wrote.
NBA was alerted of “unusual betting activity” connected to Terry Rozier
The NBA had a slightly different statement via Chris Haynes where they spoke that in March of 2023, the league was alerted of “unusual betting activity” looking at Rozier's performance from a game against the New Orleans Pelicans.
“In March 2023, the NBA was alerted to unusual betting activity related to Terry Rozier’s performance in a game between Charlotte and New Orleans,” the statement read. “The league conducted an investigation and did not find a violation of NBA rules. We are now aware of an investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York related to this matter and have been cooperating with that investigation.”
The game in reference was on March 23, 2023, where the Hornets lost to the Pelicans, 115-96, as Rozier started, but only played 10 minutes while scoring five points, collecting four rebounds, and recording two assists. The current Heat guard would leave that game with a “sore right foot” according to an ESPN recap from back then.
Rozier is currently in his 10th season, second with the Heat after he was traded from the Hornets for a first-round pick and Kyle Lowry. Since that move made at last year's trade deadline, Rozier has had an inconsistent stint with Miami as this season, he's averaging 12.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 41 percent from the field and 29 percent from beyond the arc.
He has served a role in coming off the bench as he looks to find consistency as the finality of the government's investigation remains to be seen.