Many people have a vice and many people’s vice is sports betting. For most, it’s a relatively harmless hobby. For others, it’s a costly one that affects not just their bank account but their livelihoods. When the individuals who are betting are professional athletes, like Miami Heat point guard Terry Rozier, it’s another matter entirely.
Will Terry Rozier Be Exonerated In Alleged Betting Scandal?
On Thursday, Rozier was revealed to be under federal investigation for potentially manipulating his performance as part of a sports betting scheme on March 23. In a matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans, he played about nine minutes before leaving with a foot injury. “Unusual wagers were coming in on Rozier failing to meet certain statistical benchmarks” that day, per the Wall Street Journal’s Jared Diamond, Louise Radnofsky, and Robert O’Connell.
INJURY UPDATE: @hornets guard Terry Rozier left tonight’s game in New Orleans with right foot discomfort. He is doubtful to return.
— Charlotte Hornets PR (@HornetsPR) March 24, 2023
Yet, South Florida Sun-Sentinal reporter Ira Winderman relays that Rozier “has not been charged with a crime or accused of wrongdoing.” Furthermore, the NBA has already investigated the matter and didn’t find that he violated any rules. This could be due to the fact that he missed the Hornets’ final eight games due to foot soreness. It’s worth noting that Charlotte’s injury report was pretty full at that point, with Gordon Hayward, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Cody Martin missing several games as well.
As LaMelo Ball had already been ruled out for the season with an ankle injury, it may have behooved the Hornets to rest their veterans. Not only did they have no hope of reaching the playoffs, they were in lottery contention. Obviously, Charlotte wouldn’t be the first team to strategically rule players out in order to increase their chances of landing a high draft pick. With that being said, the Hornets eventually landed the second overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, which they used to select franchise cornerstone Brandon Miller.
However, the federal probe could assess whether Rozier leaving games early was a pattern of behavior. If so, his chances of being exonerated might be impacted. In his time with the Hornets, there were five other instances in which Rozier hit the showers before the clock expired.
Rolling Back The Tape
In Dec. 2022, he left a game against the Denver Nuggets in the second quarter due to a right hip contusion. He didn’t return after recording two points, two assists, and two rebounds in 14 minutes.
INJURY UPDATE: @hornets guard Terry Rozier left in the 2Q with a right hip contusion and is questionable to return tonight in Denver
— Charlotte Hornets PR (@HornetsPR) December 19, 2022
In Oct. 2021, he left a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the fourth quarter with a mild ankle sprain. He didn’t return after recording six points, two assists, two rebounds, and three turnovers in 23 minutes. Following the game, the Hornets medical team diagnosed him as “day-to-day.”
INJURY UPDATE: @hornets guard Terry Rozier left in the 4Q of tonight’s win at CLE with a mild right ankle sprain. He’s day to day moving forward. #AllFly
— Charlotte Hornets PR (@HornetsPR) October 23, 2021
In March 2021, he left two games early. The first was a matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers. Diagnosed with a left hip contusion, he played 26 minutes and missed the entire fourth quarter. He finished the game with eight points, five assists, and three rebounds, and two turnovers.
INJURY UPDATE: @hornets G Terry Rozier (L Hip Contusion) left the game in the second half against the Clippers and will not return #AllFly
— Charlotte Hornets PR (@HornetsPR) March 21, 2021
A week prior, he exited their battle against the Toronto Raptors in the third quarter due to a lower left leg contusion. Though cleared to play the remainder of the game, Rozier sat out the entire fourth quarter. He recorded 17 points, three assists, two rebounds, one steal, and one turnover in 22 minutes.
INJURY UPDATE: @hornets G Terry Rozier left in the 3Q with a left lower leg contusion, he is available to return to tonight’s game #AllFly
— Charlotte Hornets PR (@HornetsPR) March 14, 2021
It’s worth noting that he was uncharacteristically inefficient in each of those games.
Then there’s the first Hornets game where Rozier left prematurely. In Jan. 2021, he sustained a right ankle sprain in a match against the Milwaukee Bucks. He didn’t play at all in the second half, finishing with 12 points, one assist, two rebounds, and two turnovers in 18 minutes.
INJURY UPDATE: @hornets G Terry Rozier suffered a right ankle sprain and will not return to tonight’s game vs. MIL #AllFly
— Charlotte Hornets PR (@HornetsPR) January 31, 2021
It could be purely coincidental. However, depending on what the betting lines were on Rozier those nights, it may not be.
All Money Isn’t Good Money
Even when former NBA forward Jontay Porter –who’s now banned from the league and facing up to 51 months of jail time–was found guilty for his role in a betting scandal, it seemed hard to fathom. Porter doesn’t have Rozier’s career earnings, a cool $133.8 million. However, he made nearly $2.4 million during his NBA career while only playing 37 games. For him to risk freedom and his playing future for a few more coins was foolish.
A player who’ll make $51.6 million for two seasons worth of work isn’t hurting financially. At least they shouldn’t be. That’s what makes the idea of Rozier being involved in a betting scandal even more ludicrous.
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