Ever since the offseason it has been obvious that the Heat really need another point guard. That fact has become even more evident as the season has gone on. Kyle Lowry is the only point guard who is currently on the roster. Head coach Erik Spoelstra recently moved Lowry to the bench amidst a poor season at the age of 37. His replacement could be coming soon though. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on Monday that the Heat are a team to keep an eye on in the pursuit of Charlotte Hornets guard Terry Rozier. It was reported a few days ago that he has a “known preference” to be traded to Miami. He would be a perfect addition to this Heat team and would help the team massively.
<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>Terry Rozier would prefer to join the Miami Heat, per <a href=”https://twitter.com/JakeLFischer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@JakeLFischer</a> <br><br>“Terry Rozier’s strong play has made the combo guard a more viable trade candidate than ever at his $24 million average annual salary, with a known preference in joining the Miami Heat, league sources told… <a href=”https://t.co/sgwu1e7Epr”>pic.twitter.com/sgwu1e7Epr</a></p>— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) <a href=”https://twitter.com/TheDunkCentral/status/1747668464548937951?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>January 17, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>
Heat Trade Rumors: Hornets Guard Terry Rozier To Miami?
Miami Heat Trade Rumors – Terry Rozier
Terry Rozier is currently having arguably the best season of his nine-year NBA career. He is second on the Hornets in scoring, assists, and steals. His 23.6 points per game and 6.7 assists per game are both career-high averages for him, and he is shooting a career-high 42% from the field and 52.7% from inside the arc. Charlotte is 10-31, which is 13th in the Eastern Conference. They are still in the middle of a rebuild. Since Rozier has 2 years left on his contract after this season, the Hornets could get a nice piece in trading him away to help with their rebuild.
How He Fits In Miami
As I mentioned above, the Heat have had a gaping hole at point guard since the summer. That was before Lowry’s struggles. Now that hole is even bigger. The team also needs another scoring option, as they are currently 26th in the league in points per game. Terry Rozier would fill that hole nicely. He can be a high-volume scorer and can play both guard positions. He would primarily be running the point for Miami, which is something they desperately need. He would also give them another shot-creater presence on the perimeter. Rozier would be the third or fourth option in the offense, and with how he has been playing this year that would be a good option to have. Additionally, he would be capable of stepping up on nights when Jimmy Butler or Bam Adebayo are either out or just aren’t feeling it.
The Heat are not the only team that is interested in Rozier’s services. Dejounte Murray is also out there and seems to be the focus of a lot of teams. If Miami decides that Murray is too expensive for their liking or if they want to get something done quicker, then Rozier is the obvious and less expensive option.
<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>“Terry Rozier to Miami is a very real possibility. And it could happen soon.” <br><br>- <a href=”https://twitter.com/GregSylvander?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@GregSylvander</a> <br><br>(Via <a href=”https://t.co/QH93X8Pkjj”>https://t.co/QH93X8Pkjj</a>) <a href=”https://t.co/xHVBMGuYpf”>pic.twitter.com/xHVBMGuYpf</a></p>— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) <a href=”https://twitter.com/TheDunkCentral/status/1749569495696294134?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>January 22, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>
What A Trade Could Look Like
Any trade for Rozier would almost certainly involve Lowry heading to Charlotte. But that alone probably won’t get a deal done. The Heat could have to add in a second-round pick. At most though, adding in a future protected first-round pick and/or one of their role players, such as Caleb Martin or Josh Richardson, to go along with Lowry’s expiring contract would certainly be enough to seal the deal. A smaller trade package would also keep the door open for the Heat for another, perhaps bigger trade in the future before the trade deadline in early February.
