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After months of uncertainty, the Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier officially got his money’s worth.
An arbitrator ruled Monday (February 2) that the NBA must pay Rozier his salary, reversing the league’s decision to place him on unpaid leave following his arrest last year in a federal gambling investigation.
“Terry has won now under the principles of contract law and the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the league and the players, but the bigger principle issue is the presumption of innocence,” Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, said. SPOKE Front Office Sports. “Today’s arbitration decision reminds the NBA that they cannot ignore an important concept just because this is a high-profile case.”
Rozier is facing federal charges for what federal prosecutors say is his role in an alleged illegal NBA gambling scheme. Rozier was arrested and charged in October and has pleaded not guilty.
Jim Trusty, Rozier’s attorney: "Terry won today under the principles of contract law and the… https://t.co/ihRS3Q2U3d
— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) February 2, 2026
The NBA has withheld the salaries of Rozier and Billup amid an ongoing gambling investigation
Rozier was arrested in October as part of a federal probe that also included Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and former player and coach Damon Jones. Prosecutors charged Rozier with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, both serious charges that could carry sentences of up to 20 years.
All this happened in the last year of Rozier’s four-year, $96.3 million contract with Charlotte, which he signed in 2021. A few months later, in January 2024, Miami traded him in a deal that sent Kyle Lowry and a 2027 draft pick the other way. This season, Rozier is on the Heat’s books for $26.6 million, with $25 million guaranteed.
“We are pleased with the arbitrator’s ruling and remain committed to ensuring that Terry’s due process rights are protected and that he is afforded the presumption of innocence throughout this process,” an NBPA spokesperson said.
In October 2025, we reported that the NBA and the Heat planned to park Rozier’s salary in escrow while the investigation continued. The idea was that if Rozier was cleared, he would get the money. Meanwhile, Billups was not paid during his enforced leave. Now, with the finalization of the arbitration decision, Rozier’s escrowed salary will be released.
Billups reportedly earned about $4.7 million during the 2024-25 season and signed a multi-year extension earlier this year for an undisclosed amount.
ReadWrite has reached out to Terry Rozier’s legal representative for comment.
Featured image: The Financial Express via YouTube
The post The Arbitrator ordered the NBA to pay Terry Rozier’s salary after the decision on unpaid leave first appeared in ReadWrite.
