NBA Rumors: Terry Rozier Traded to Heat for Kyle Lowry, 2027 1st-Round Draft Pick

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The Charlotte Hornets and Terry Rozier agreed to a four-year, $97 million maximum contract extension ahead of the 2021-22 season that was supposed to keep him in place through the 2025-26 campaign.

Charlotte traded the guard to the Miami Heat on Tuesday for Kyle Lowry and a 2027 first-round draft pick, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Wojnarowski also noted the first-round pick includes protections.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium was the first to report the deal.

Wojnarowski reported the Hornets “have no immediate plans to work on a buyout with Lowry” and will look to move him in a future trade. Wojnarowski also noted the Hornets “aren’t done dealing yet and plan to continue accumulating future assets” before the February 8 deadline.

In October 2022, Charania reported the Los Angeles Lakers were interested in Rozier as they looked at potential Russell Westbrook trades after missing the playoffs and play-in tournament in 2021-22 and getting off to a slow start in 2022-23.

Both guards stayed put at the time, although the Lakers ended up trading Westbrook in a move that brought them D’Angelo Russell, among others.

Rozier wasn’t always in Charlotte. The Boston Celtics selected him with a first-round pick in the 2015 NBA draft. He played his first four seasons in Boston before the Hornets acquired him as part of the sign-and-trade deal that sent Kemba Walker to the Celtics ahead of the 2019-20 season.

Rozier was more of a secondary player in Boston but established himself as a go-to scorer in Charlotte. He posted 18.0 points per game in 2019-20, 20.4 in 2020-21 and 19.3 in 2021-22. He also tallied 4.5 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals a night while shooting 37.4 percent from three-point range in 2021-22.

The Louisville product followed up with averages of 21.1 points, 5.1 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 63 games in 2022-23 and 23.2 points, 6.6 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 30 games in 2023-24.

Rozier is seemingly in the middle of his prime at 29, making this a noteworthy addition for the Heat.

While he isn’t someone who is going to carry a team to a championship, the guard is a valuable scorer who can hit from the outside, facilitate as a passer, create off the dribble and take advantage of the space that figures to come with playing alongside Jimmy Butler.

If Rozier can do all that, this will be an important trade for Miami as it looks to solidify itself in the Eastern Conference. The Heat own a 24-19 record, good enough for sixth in the East.