Professional basketball player Terry Rozier is challenging an arbitration decision that permits the NBA to retain the majority of his $26.6 million salary following allegations of his involvement in an illegal betting operation.
Court documents filed Wednesday by Rozier’s legal representative disclosed details of the arbitration decision and outlined the player’s efforts to modify his criminal case release terms.
The current release conditions have placed him “in breach of his contractual obligation to play.” Modified terms could enable Rozier to challenge the arbitration outcome once more and pursue free agency opportunities this summer for a new contract, although it’s uncertain if any teams would be willing to sign him.
Rozier faced indictment in October for his suspected participation in an illegal gambling operation. Following the indictment, he was released on a $6 million bond with conditions that prohibited him from communicating with current or former staff members of the Charlotte Hornets or Miami Heat.
During the time of the alleged offenses — conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering — Rozier was a Charlotte player, and subsequently spent one and a half seasons with Miami.
The 32-year-old player sat out the entire 2025-26 season following his arrest. Miami released him in April.
An arbitrator originally determined in February that Rozier should receive his salary, but this decision was reversed in a May 20 ruling when the arbitrator sided with the NBA.
Federal prosecutors filed two additional charges against Rozier in late May. However, the government simultaneously permitted Rozier to resume communication with Miami personnel while maintaining the restriction regarding Charlotte. Jim Trusty, representing Rozier, contends this arrangement is inadequate.
“With forced inactivity, Mr. Rozier is facing a potential second season of non-participation despite being entitled to a presumption of innocence,” Trusty stated in his motion. “Under the current ruling of the arbitrator, an inability to play for or against the Charlotte Hornets would constitute a ‘failure to perform services’ by Mr. Rozier and substantially diminish or eliminate any chance of being contracted by an NBA team.”
The allegations against Rozier involve informing gamblers that he planned to exit a game early while competing for Charlotte in March 2023. The gamblers subsequently placed substantial bets on the “under” projections for Rozier’s statistical performance in that game.
During the 2024-25 season, Rozier posted averages of 10.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists across 64 games (including 23 as a starter) for Miami. Throughout his 10-season NBA career with Boston, Charlotte and Miami, his career statistics include 13.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.
