Heat reportedly trading for Terry Rozier, sending Kyle Lowry, 1st-round pick to Hornets
The Miami Heat are beefing up for the second half of the season.
In a trade with the Charlotte Hornets, the team is acquiring veteran guard Terry Rozier in exchange for six-time All-Star Kyle Lowry and draft compensation, according to multiple Tuesday reports.
The compensation includes a 2027 first-round pick, which is lottery protected for 2027 and becomes unprotected in 2028, per Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer.
Charlotte doesn't have plans to reach a buyout with Lowry. Instead, the Hornets are expected to attempt to find another trade for him ahead of the Feb. 8 deadline, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported.
Of course, plans are subject to change. Rozier and the Hornets agreed to a four-year, $97 million maximum contract extension ahead of the 2021-22 season that would have kept him in Charlotte through 2026.
As the Hornets' top option behind star LaMelo Ball, Rozier was reportedly drawing attention from the Los Angeles Lakers, too. He is averaging 23.2 points and 6.6 assists while shooting 45.9% from the field this season, all career highs.
The Louisville product started his career with the Boston Celtics when he was selected with a first-round pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. After playing four seasons with the team, he went to Charlotte as part of the sign-and-trade deal that sent Kemba Walker to the Celtics ahead of the 2019-20 season.
Now, Rozier will join the Heat as they look to improve in the Eastern Conference. Following a run to the NBA Finals last season, Miami sits at sixth in the East with a 24-19 record.
Rozier is capable of providing his new team with an offensive boost, especially as a complement to Jimmy Butler. Miami was clearly looking to make a change, as head coach Erik Spoelstra recently moved Lowry out of the starting lineup amid trade rumors.
Lowry, 37, is averaging 8.2 points, four assists and 3.5 rebounds per game this season. He leaves the Heat during his third season with the club on an expiring contract worth $29.7 million.
