Heat Notes: Fontecchio, Rozier, Hornets Trade, Offense

ForwardSimone Fontecchio was acquired by theHeat this summer in asign-and-trade deal that sentDuncan Robinson to Detroit.

Head coachErik Spoelstra was familiar with Fontecchio’s game, having extensively scouted his play with the Italian national team during the 2023 and 2024 offseasons while serving as an assistant with Team USA, according toIra Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel.

“Italy was my scout, so I literally watched every single one of his games for two years over there,” said Spoelstra, who has since beenpromoted to Team USA head coach. “He’s an explosive number-one option for Italy. When you shoulder those kinds of responsibilities and have everyone game-planning against you, yet still are able to have big games, that was really impressive.”

It was unclear how much Fontecchio would play for Miami this season after a disappointing ’24/25 campaign with the Pistons in which he shot just 33.5% from long distance. But he has been in the rotation ahead of young players likePelle Larsson to this point, Winderman writes, and has gotten off to a strong start through two games, averaging 13.5 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 1.5 APG and 1.0 SPG in 21.0 MPG.

“For us, it’s a different option,” Spoelstra said. “We like his competitiveness. He, obviously, can really shoot the ball, but he’s not limited to that. He’s able to do other things like put the ball on the floor, fly off screens or just space off of your better players. We’re just really thankful that we have him with us.”

Here’s more on the Heat:

• In the wake ofTerry Rozier‘sarrest — he’s facing charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering after being accused of removing himself from a March 2023 game (when he was a member of theHornets) so that several “under” prop bets would hit —Winderman argues the NBA should “right a wrong” and either rescind the first-round pick Miami owes Charlotte or give the Heat a compensatory first-rounder. As Winderman explains, the Heatreportedly didn’t know about the incident when they traded for Rozier in January 2024, nor were they aware of any league investigation into the matter. If Miami was granted a compensatory pick, the team would have its full complement of future first-rounders available to trade — the Heat are currently limited by theStepien rule, Winderman notes.
• In amailbag for The Sun Sentinel, Winderman says the league could also opt to remove Rozier’s salary from the Heat’s cap sheet while his legal situation plays out. The 31-year-old would still continue to be paid in Winderman’s hypothetical, but not counting against the team’s books would give Miami much more financial flexibility, both now and going forward.
• The Heat have been pleased with their new uptempo offense through two games, but they want to make sure it’s firing on all cylinders for an entire season, perAnthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. “Playing with a pace like this, you love to see everybody collectively having fun, everybody getting to touch the ball,”Bam Adebayo said. “You can’t really scout plays for us. There are no plays. In the whole first half [Friday against the Grizzlies], I don’t think Spo ran a play. We’re trying to make it last all season. It’s fun when we play like this. It’s fun when we can get up and down, and run with that pace. And obviously, we need to make shots to dictate that. But our thing is just to keep playing this style of basketball, where there’s no hold. We’re swinging, we’re cutting. It’s hard to scout a team when everybody is live. So that’s what we’re trying to get to and that’s starting to be our identity.”

• Full Story
• 3 Comments

• Categories:
• Charlotte Hornets
• Miami Heat
• Pelle Larsson
• Simone Fontecchio
• Terry Rozier

Heat Didn’t Know About Terry Rozier Investigation When Trade Took Place

TheHeat weren’t aware thatTerry Rozier was under suspicion of illegal gambling activity when they acquired him from Charlotte in January 2024, multiple sources tellBarry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.

Rozier wasarrested Thursday by the FBI as part of a federal investigation into illegal sports betting, jeopardizing his basketball future and raising plenty of questions about what the move means for the team. Without action from commissionerAdam Silver, Rozier and his expiring $26.6MM salary will remain on Miami’s roster for the rest of the season.

The NBA was alerted to unusual betting activity regarding Rozier 10 months before the trade took place, but the league has a policy of not informing its teams about such matters, according to Jackson and Chiang.

No warning was given to the Heat before the league approved the trade, which sent veteran guardKyle Lowry and a first-round pick to Charlotte, multiple sources told the authors. Their sources also saidHornets officials didn’t share information about the probe with the Heat, and Mike Cristaldi, Charlotte’s chief communications officer, refused to say whether they were aware of the allegations against Rozier.

The Heat didn’t learn that Rozier was being investigated by the NBA and FBI until it was reported by the Wall Street Journal after the trade was complete, according to the authors.

They describe the team as being in “information gathering mode” and still undecided on whether it will appeal to the league in an effort to get back the draft pick that’s now owned by the Hornets. That pick will convey to Charlotte in 2027 if the Heat reach the playoffs that season. Otherwise, it becomes unprotected in 2028.

Two spokesmen from the league office refused to explain to Jackson and Chiang why the NBA doesn’t inform all its teams when unusual betting activity is detected or whenever it opens an investigation into a player. The authors point out that having that information might have dissuaded Miami from trying to trade for Rozier.

They add that the NBA has declined to say whether Silver would consider voiding Rozier’s contract before the case is decided in federal court. The team currently can’t sign a replacement for Rozier or fill its open roster spot without moving into luxury tax territory. If Rozier were to be expelled from the NBA, the Heat would be about $28MM below the tax threshold, giving them plenty of room to sign two players and fill out their roster.

Jackson and Chiang point out that having the draft pick returned would provide a lot more flexibility in trade talks, giving Miami tradable first-rounders in 2026, 2028, 2030 and 2032. The team is currently limited to trading no more than two future picks (2030 and 2032).

The NBA office denied a report from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst that the league ordered Rozier to be benched after he left the game that prompted the investigation, the authors add. A league spokesman said Rozier suffered a foot injury that was confirmed by an MRI.

• Full Story
• 44 Comments

• Categories:
• Charlotte Hornets
• Miami Heat
• Newsstand
• Terry Rozier

2025 NBA G League Draft Results

The NBA G League held its draft for the 2025/26 season on Saturday afternoon. Players who signed NBAGL contracts and whose rights weren’t already controlled by a team were part of the draft pool.

Affiliates from all 30 NBA teams took part in the draft, along with the unaffiliated Mexico City Capitanes.

Dillon Jones, who was a first-round pick in the 2024 NBA draft, was selected No. 1 overall by South Bay, which is the Lakers’ G League affiliate.

The 23-year-old small forward was drafted out of Weber State by Oklahoma City with the 26th pick last summer. He appeared in 54 games as a rookie, but only played 10.2 minutes per night and averaged 2.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists.

The Thundertraded Jones to Washington in June to clear a spot on their roster. The Wizardswaived him last weekend and still owe him $2,753,280 for the remainder of the season.

Drafting Jones to South Bay won’t prevent another NBA team from signing him, since holding a player’s G League rights doesn’t mean teams control his NBA rights. However, it will give the Lakers a chance to take a first-hand look at him before potentially offering a standard or two-way contract.

With the second pick, the Osceola Magic selectedTyler Smith, who lost a battle for the Bucks’ final roster spot and waswaived last Sunday. The 20-year-old power forward was expected to draw interest as a two-way target, but it doesn’t appear any offers have materialized yet. Smith, who started his career with the now-defunct G League Ignite, was taken with the 33rd pick in last year’s NBA draft.

The Wizards’ affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go, had three of the next four picks, selectingAce Baldwin at No. 3,Nolan Hickman at No. 5 andCam Carter at No. 6.

Two notable second-generation players were selected in today’s draft.Jamal Mashburn Jr. was taken at No. 8 by the Westchester Knicks, andJabri Abdur-Rahim, whose father Shareef serves as G League president, went to the Stockton Kings at No. 29.

Here are the full 2025 G League draft results:

Round One:

1. South Bay Lakers (Lakers):Dillon Jones
2. Osceola Magic (Magic):Tyler Smith
3. Capital City Go-Go (Wizards):Ace Baldwin
4. Grand Rapids Gold (Nuggets):Adama Bal
5. Capital City Go-Go (Wizards):Nolan Hickman
6. Capital City Go-Go (Wizards):Cam Carter
7. Motor City Cruise (Pistons):Stefan Todorovic
8. Westchester Knicks (Knicks):Jamal Mashburn Jr.
9. Greensboro Swarm (Hornets):Ethan Taylor
10. Raptors 905 (Raptors):A.J. Hoggard
11. Texas Legends (Mavericks):Kario Oquendo
12. Grand Rapids Gold (Nuggets):Kenan Blackshear
13. Oklahoma City Blue (Thunder):Vinicius da Silva (Brazil)
14. Sioux Falls Skyforce (Heat):Josh Cohen
15. Texas Legends (Mavericks):Cearius Warren (St. Thomas University)
16. Osceola Magic (Magic):Ebenezer Dowuona
17. Oklahoma City Blue (Thunder):John Harge (Adams State University)
18. Birmingham Squadron (Pelicans):Tray Jackson
19. Westchester Knicks (Knicks):Jaden Seymour
20. Birmingham Squadron (Pelicans):Chris Mantis
21. College Park Skyhawks (Hawks):Tyrin Lawrence
22. Raptors 905 (Raptors):JP Pegues
23. Greensboro Swarm (Hornets):Olisa Akonobi
24. Oklahoma City Blue (Thunder): No pick
25. South Bay Lakers (Lakers):Selton Miguel
26. Motor City Cruise (Pistons):O’Mar Stanley
27. Noblesville Boom (Pacers):Ben Coupet Jr.
28. Salt Lake City Stars (Jazz):Des Watson
29. Stockton Kings (Kings):Jabri Abdur-Rahim
30. Salt Lake City Stars (Jazz):Carter Whitt
31. Capital City Go-Go (Wizards):J.Z. Zaher

• Full Story
• 12 Comments

• Categories:
• Atlanta Hawks
• Boston Celtics
• Charlotte Hornets
• Dallas Mavericks
• Denver Nuggets
• Detroit Pistons
• Golden State Warriors
• Indiana Pacers
• Los Angeles Lakers
• Memphis Grizzlies
• Miami Heat
• Milwaukee Bucks
• Minnesota Timberwolves
• NBA G League
• New Orleans Pelicans
• New York Knicks
• Newsstand
• Oklahoma City Thunder
• Orlando Magic
• Phoenix Suns
• Portland Trail Blazers
• Sacramento Kings
• San Antonio Spurs
• Toronto Raptors
• Utah Jazz
• Washington Wizards
• A.J. Hoggard
• Ace Baldwin
• Adama Bal
• Ahmaad Rorie
• Ben Coupet
• Bryce Thompson
• Camryn Carter
• Carter Whitt
• Cearius Warren
• Chandler Baker
• Chris Mantis
• Darius Maddox
• Derrin Boyd
• Des Watson
• Dillon Jones
• Dischon Thomas
• Donte Ingram
• Ebenezer Dowuona
• Ethan Taylor
• Fousseyni Drame
• Franco Miller
• JP Pegues
• JZ Zaher
• Jabri Abdur-Rahim
• Jaden Seymour
• Jamal Mashburn Jr.
• Jason Hubbard
• Jermaine Couisnard
• John Harge
• Josh Cohen
• Kario Oquendo
• Kenan Blackshear
• Kobe Webster
• Markeese Hastings
• Nicolas Timberlake
• Nolan Hickman
• O'Mar Stanley
• Olisa Akonobi
• Onno Steger
• Pierre Crockrell
• Rayshon Harrison
• Sean Durugordon
• Selton Miguel
• Stefan Todorovic
• T.J. Weeks
• Tray Jackson
• Tyler Hawkins
• Tyler Smith
• Tyrin Lawrence
• Vance Jackson
• Vinicius Da Silva

Silver ‘Deeply Disturbed’ By Federal Gambling Indictments

Speaking to Amazon Prime reporter Cassidy Hubbarth during the first quarter of Friday’s matchup between Boston and New York (Twitter video link), commissionerAdam Silver said he was “deeply disturbed” by the allegations in Thursday’s federal gamblingindictments, whichresulted in thearrestsofHeat guardTerry Rozier,Trail Blazers head coachChauncey Billups, and former NBA guard and coachDamon Jones, among others.

“My initial reaction was I was deeply disturbed,” Silver said. “There is nothing more important to the league and its fans than the integrity of the competition.And so I had a pit in my stomach. It was very upsetting.”

Word brokeback in January that federal prosecutors in New York were investigating Rozier as part of a probe into illegal sports betting. Investigators were specifically looking at a game that took place on March 23, 2023, when the veteran guard was still a member of theHornets.

Ahead of that game, one bettorreportedly placed 30 wagers in 46 minutes on the “unders” on Rozier-related prop bets at a casino in Biloxi, Mississippi, raising alarms about potential suspicious activity. At the same time, there was a rush on multiple sportsbooks in New Orleans of under bets on Rozier props. Sportsbooks and the NBA were alerted, and some books stopped taking bets related to Rozier’s performance that day.

After recording five points, four rebounds and two assists in 9:34 of action in the first quarter, Rozier exited the game during a timeout and didn’t return, citing a foot issue. All 30 of those “under” prop bets won as a result of the abbreviated outing, and Rozier didn’t play the final eight games of the 2022/23 season due to the injury.

Silver was asked about the NBA’s investigation into Rozier, who was — at the time — cleared by the league to continue playing, despite the suspicious circumstances (stories viaTim Reynolds of The Associated Press,Shakeia Taylor of The Athletic, andTim Bontemps of ESPN).

“So what happened was, because bets were placed through legalized legal betting companies, they picked up aberrational behavior around a particular game in March of 2023,” Silver said. “And so it was brought to our attention by the regulators and the betting companies. We then looked into that situation and were very transparent about it. And while there was that aberrational betting, we, frankly, couldn’t find anything.

“Terry at the time cooperated, he gave the league office his phone, he sat down for an interview, and we ultimately concluded there was insufficient evidence despite that aberrational behavior. We then worked directly with law enforcement — as they said at the press conference, the league has been cooperating. That was obviously almost two years ago.

“The federal government has subpoena power,” Silver continued. “[It] can threaten to put people in jail, can do all kinds of things that the league office can’t do. So we’ve been working with them since then. And, of course, what they announced yesterday was an indictment.

“Two and a half years later, he still hasn’t been convicted of anything, in fairness to Terry. Obviously it doesn’t look good, but he’s been put on administrative leave, and so it is a balance here between protecting people’s rights and investigating. And as I said, we’ve been working with the government, and they have extraordinary powers the league office doesn’t have.”

The illegal gambling investigations have overshadowed the start of the 2025/26 season, which Silver acknowledged.

“I apologize to our fans that we are all dealing with this situation,” Silver said during the in-game interview.

• Full Story
• 32 Comments

• Categories:
• Charlotte Hornets
• Miami Heat
• Portland Trail Blazers
• Adam Silver
• Chauncey Billups
• Damon Jones
• Terry Rozier

Heat Notes: Rozier, Cap, Offense, Fontecchio

In the wake ofTerry Rozier‘sarrest, theHeat had a team meeting on Thursday to “address things,” head coachErik Spoelstra said on Friday, according toIra Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscription required). While Spoelstra noted that the team has learned how to “compartmentalize” off-court issues and focus on the next game, Rozier was popular in the locker room and teammates couldn’t help but notice his absence at Friday’s shootaround.

“You support him, through and through. That’s our brother at the end of the day,”big manBam Adebayo said.“It felt kind of weird in him not being here, actually, because he’s usually the first person I get to talk to in the morning, and he brings that great energy to our team.”

Rozier is facing charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering after being accused of removing himself from a March 2023 game (when he was a member of the Hornets) so that several “under” prop bets would hit. While Spoelstra and Rozier’s teammates didn’t address the specifics of the case on Friday, they uniformly expressed support for the veteran guard, who has been placed on leave by the NBA.

“I mean obviously we can’t comment on the situation,”Spoelstra said. “But Terry is somebody who is very dear to all of us. He’s had a real positive impact on our locker room, and the staff and players alike, and that includes last year, when he wasn’t in the rotation oftentimes. We send our thoughts and our care for him as he goes through this.”

Here’s more on the Heat, including additional notes on the Rozier situation:

• Because Rozier has been placed on leave rather than being suspended or having his contract voided, he’ll continue to occupy a Heat roster spot and will continue to be paid his $26.6MM salary for the time being, asBarry Jackson of The Miami Herald outlines. The Heat would only gain immediate cap relief if the NBA decided to void Rozier’s contract, which would remove it from the team’s books.
• Jackson posits (viaTwitter) that the Heat were “wronged” by the NBA, which looked into unusual betting activity related to that March 2023 game at the time and found no wrongdoing by Rozier. The Heat reportedly weren’t informed of that investigation before trading for the veteran guard in January 2024. While Jackson stresses that he doesn’t expect the team to take any extreme measures like suing the NBA, he suggests it remains to be seen whether the Heat will seek some sort of restitution.
• The Heat couldn’t pull out a victory over the Magic in Wednesday’s season opener, but Spoelstra was encouraged by how an offense that looked faster and more efficient than last season’s unit, according toAnthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.“I don’t want to take too much of a moral victory on this,”Spoelstra said.“I just see a blueprint for us, and I think there are some things that are going to get better and better as we spend more time with each other.”
• In a wide-ranging conversation withCyro Asseo of HoopsHype, new Heat forwardSimone Fontecchio spoke about his transition from the EuroLeague to the NBA, what he thinks his role will be in Miami, and several other topics. According to Fontecchio, continuing to improve defensively is a priority for him this season.“I don’t like to be looked at as a casual European guy that doesn’t play defense, just to shoot, you know?”he said.“I never liked that. And I think I was never like that. So hopefully, I’ll keep working on that, keep getting better and better, and people will start to realize that too.”

• Full Story
• 7 Comments

• Categories:
• Miami Heat
• Simone Fontecchio
• Terry Rozier

Latest On Arrests Of Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier

Although he was not indicted in the illegal sports betting case that resulted in thearrest ofHeat guardTerry Rozier, it’s clear that a person matching the description ofChauncey Billups is accused of providing insider information about theTrail Blazers planning to go into tank mode ahead of a game on March 24, 2023, notesChris Mannix of SI.com.

Billups wasarrested on Thursday in a separate but related case involving an illegal poker operation tied to the mafia. He was arraigned on one count of wire-fraud conspiracy and one count of money-laundering conspiracy in federal court in Portland and was released under certain conditions, including having his travel restricted to Oregon, Colorado (his home state), and New York (where his trial will take place) writesMaxine Bernstein of The Oregonian.

The 49-year-old coach, who has beenplaced on leave by the NBA, will also be required to pay a “substantial” bond, surrender his passport, is prohibited from contacting his co-defendants and is barred from engaging in any form of gambling-related activities, perSean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (Substack link).

Billups’ next court date is November 24 in Brooklyn, New York.

Chris Heywood, the attorney who represented Billups at Thursday’s arraignment, released a statement saying his client disputes the charges. It’s unclear if Billups will have a different lawyer for the actual case, a league source tells Sam Amick of The Athletic (Twitter link).

“Anyone who knows Chauncey Billups knows he is a man of integrity; men of integrity do not cheat and defraud others,” Heywood said in the statement. “To believe that Chauncey Billups did what the federal government is accusing him of is to believe that he would risk his hall-of-fame legacy, his reputation, and his freedom. He would not jeopardize those things for anything, let alone a card game.

“Furthermore, Chauncey Billups has never and would never gamble on basketball games, provide insider information, or sacrifice the trust of his team and the League, as it would tarnish the game he has devoted his entire life to. Chauncey Billups has never backed down. He does not plan to do so now. He will fight these allegations with the same tenacity that marked his 28-year career. We look forward to our day in court.”

Rozier, who was also placed on leave by the league, faced his own arraignment in Florida today. The 31-year-old had to put up his $6MM mansion as collateral for bond, according to Mike Valente of CBS Central Florida (Twitter link), and was conditionally released under similar stipulations as Billups.

Here are a few more items of interest related to the cases:

• While the arrests of Billups and Rozier have understandably generated the most attention,Damon Jones‘ involvement may be the most problematic for the league, a high-ranking team executive tells Mannix. The former NBA guard and coach was allegedly involved in both cases, including for tipping off a bettor about the injury status of aLakers player thatDave McMenamin of ESPN confirms wasLeBron James. To be clear, James has not been accused of any wrongdoing and was unaware of his colleague’s gambling activities, a source tells McMenamin.
• Several ESPN insiders andthree SI.com authors explain more details of the investigations and the alleged involvements of Rozier, Billups and Jones.
• TheMagic werementioned in the illegal betting probe. In a statement to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link), the team said it has “no indication that any current players were involved and we have not been contacted by the authorities.”
• According to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link), the Heat were unaware of Rozier’s involvement in the illegal sports betting case — which allegedly took place when he was a member of theHornets — when they traded for him several months later. Miami was also not aware of any NBA investigation into the matter, Jackson adds.

• Full Story
• 48 Comments

• Categories:
• Charlotte Hornets
• Los Angeles Lakers
• Miami Heat
• Newsstand
• Orlando Magic
• Portland Trail Blazers
• Chauncey Billups
• Damon Jones
• LeBron James
• Terry Rozier

Terry Rozier, Chauncey Billups Placed On Leave By NBA

Heat guardTerry Rozier andTrail Blazers head coachChauncey Billups have been placed on immediate leave from their respective teams, the NBA announced today in a press release (Twitter link).

“We are in the process of reviewing the federal indictments announced today,”the league said in a statement. “Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups are being placed on immediate leave from their teams, and we will continue to cooperate with the relevant authorities. We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and the integrity of our game remains our top priority.”

As wedetailed in apair of stories earlier today, Rozier and Billups were arrested on Thursday morning as part of a pair of separate but related federal investigations into illegal gambling. Former NBA player and coachDamon Jones was also among those arrested.

Law enforcement officials, including U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York Joseph Nocella Jr., stated during a press conference on Thursday that Rozier and Jones were among six individuals arrested in connection with a scheme to use insider information to make illegal bets on NBA games. Billups and Jones were among 31 individuals arrested in connection with a plot to rig illegal, mafia-run poker games.

A total of 34 arrests were made on Thursday, with three people – including Jones – linked to both investigations. Those arrests are the result of a multi-year, wide-ranging series of probes into illegal gambling. According to Nocella, the NBA has cooperated with the investigations, perOskar Garcia of The Athletic.

Rozier and Billups are both reportedly being charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering and will appear in federal court on Thursday in Florida and Oregon, respectively.

Here are several more details on the cases, from the Department of Justice’s indictment:

• Rozier is accused of telling co-defendant Deniro Laster that he would remove himself during the first quarter of a game on March 23, 2023, when he was a member of theHornets, perMike Vorkunov of The Athletic. According to the DOJ, Laster was paid $100K for sharing that information with another defendant, Marves Fairley. The tip was then allegedly shared with others, with a total of $259K in prop bets wagered by the group on Rozier going “under” several statistical benchmarks. The indictment states that winnings were delivered to Rozier’s home, according toRalph D. Russo of The Athletic.
• According to the indictment, an unnamed co-conspirator told Eric Earnest, another of the defendants, that theTrail Blazers were going into tank mode ahead of a game on March 24, 2023 and that a certain player would sit out,according to Vorkunov. While that player wasn’t specifically identified, Blazers guardDamian Lillard missed that March 24 game due to a calf issue and was shut downa few days later for the rest of the season. To be clear, if Lillard was the player in question, it just means that information about his status was shared,not that he was in any way involved in sharing it.
• Along similar lines, Jones allegedly informed an unnamed co-conspirator prior to theLakers‘ game vs. Milwaukee on February 9, 2023 that a specific Laker would miss the game and that the co-conspirator should bet on the Bucks. AsMike Prada of The Athletic writes,LeBron James was ruled out for that game (and, eventually, the next two) due to ankle soreness. Jones wasn’t a Lakers employee at the time, but had access to team spaces, including planes and locker rooms, because he worked with James, his former Cavs teammate, saysDan Woike of The Athletic. James wasn’t aware that Jones was sharing information about his playing status, a source tells The Athletic.
• There were also bets illegally placed ahead of aMagic game on April 6, 2023, according to the DOJ (Twitter link via Vorkunov), after one of the defendants who had a relationship with a Magic player learned that Orlando wouldn’t be playing its starters that day.
• As for the allegations against Billups, Nocella described him as one of the celebrity “face cards” that organizers used to attract “fish” (potential victims) to play in rigged poker games. The indictment states that the so-called “face cards” in those games “received a portion of the criminal proceeds in exchange for their participation.” Various technology – including a rigged shuffling machine, X-ray tables, and special eyeglasses – was allegedly used to rig the games.
• According toDavid Purdum of ESPN, prosecutors claimed that Billups helped organize and played in games in Las Vegas in April 2019 that used a rigged shuffling machine. He was also allegedly wired $50K after participating in a rigged game in October 2020.

• Full Story
• 64 Comments

• Categories:
• Charlotte Hornets
• Los Angeles Lakers
• Miami Heat
• Milwaukee Bucks
• Newsstand
• Orlando Magic
• Portland Trail Blazers
• Chauncey Billups
• Damian Lillard
• Damon Jones
• LeBron James
• Terry Rozier

Heat’s Terry Rozier Arrested In Relation To Gambling Probe

9:28 am: Rozier’s attorney Jim Trusty has shared the following statement withNBC News:

“A long time ago, we reached out to these prosecutors to tell them we should have an open line of communication. They characterized Terry as a subject, not a target, but at 6 a.m. this morning they called to tell me FBI agents were trying to arrest him in a hotel.

“It is unfortunate that instead of allowing him to self-surrender, they opted for a photo op. They wanted the misplaced glory of embarrassing a professional athlete with a perp walk. That tells you a lot about the motivations in this case.

“They appear to be taking the word of spectacularly in-credible sources rather than relying on actual evidence of wrongdoing. Terry was cleared by the NBA, and these prosecutors revived that non-case. Terry is not a gambler, but he is not afraid of a fight, and he looks forward to winning this fight.”

Former NBA player and coachDamon Jones has also been arrested as a result of the investigation, per NBC News.

Rozier, Jones, and thefour other individuals connected to the illegal sports betting case have been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering,tweets Chris Mannix of SI.com.

Jones has also been connected to the separate (but related) investigation into illegal poker games with mafia ties, Mannix adds (via Twitter). Trail Blazers head coachChauncey Billups was arrested in connection with that case, as wedetail in a separate story.

8:09 am: Rozier is among six people being charged on Thursday for a scheme to use inside information to place unlawful wagers on basketball games, according toAaron Katersky of ABC News.

6:52 am:Heat guardTerry Rozier has been arrested by the FBI as a result of a federal investigation into illegal sports betting, according to investigative reporter and podcaster Pablo Torre (Twitter link).

Joseph Nocella Jr., the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, will be joined by officials from the FBI, Homeland Security, and New York City police for a press conference on Thursday at approximately 10:00 am Eastern time to discuss the latest developments in the probe into illegal sports betting and poker games, including numerous arrests.

Word brokeback in January that federal prosecutors in New York were investigating Rozier as part of a probe into illegal sports betting. Investigators were specifically looking at a game that took place on March 23, 2023, when the veteran guard was still a member of theHornets.

Ahead of that game, one bettorreportedly placed 30 wagers in 46 minutes on the “unders” on Rozier-related prop bets at a casino in Biloxi, Mississippi, raising alarms about potential suspicious activity. At the same time, there was a rush on multiple sportsbooks in New Orleans of under bets on Rozier props. Sportsbooks and the NBA were alerted, and some books stopped taking bets related to Rozier’s performance that day.

After recording five points, four rebounds and two assists in 9:34 of action in the first quarter, Rozier exited the game during a timeout and didn’t return, citing a foot issue. All 30 of those “under” prop bets won as a result of the abbreviated outing, and Rozier didn’t play the final eight games of the 2022/23 season due to the injury.

ESPN’s Shams Charania said during a TV appearancein June that Rozier had been “cleared, as of right now.” However,subsequentreporting indicated that wasn’t accurate, and that investigators were still looking at the 31-year-old, even if he wasn’t the specific target of the probe.

Rozier was permitted to continue playing for the Heat last season while the investigation was ongoing, but he had one of the worst years of his career, averaging 10.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in 25.9 minutes per game across 64 outings while shooting just 39.1% from the floor and 29.5% from beyond the three-point line. He didn’t see any action in Miami’s season opener on Wednesday.

If Rozier were to be banned by the NBA as a result of this investigation, his contract would be voided and his expiring $26.6MM salary would come off the Heat’s books, notesIra Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel.

The federal investigation into illegal gambling is part of the same government probe which saw former Raptors big manJontay Porterplead guilty to a federal felony charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Following an investigation, Porter wasbanned from the NBA for violating league rules “by disclosing confidential information to sports bettors, limiting his own participation in one or more games for betting purposes, and betting on NBA games.”

Free agent sharpshooterMalik Beasley wasunder investigation as part of the same federal probe, but there has been no indication yet that he has either been arrested or cleared. If he were to be cleared by investigators – and by the NBA – Beasley would immediately become the most popular target on the free agent market.

• Full Story
• 28 Comments

• Categories:
• Charlotte Hornets
• Miami Heat
• Newsstand
• Damon Jones
• Terry Rozier

Southeast Notes: Porzingis, Herro, Magic, Bridges

Speaking toFred Katz of The Athletic,Hawks big manKristaps Porzingis revealed that the mysterious illness that affected him late in the 2024/25 season and in the playoffs was eventually diagnosed as postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. The condition, known as POTS, causes a person’s heart to beat faster than normal when he sits or stands up and can result in extreme exhaustion or dizziness when it goes untreated or undiagnosed.

“You know how people say, ‘Oh, I’m so fatigued.’ I’ve never used those words. I don’t even like to speak in those terms, but I really was like that,” Porziņgis said.“At that time, I could just lay on the couch and be a house cat.”

According to Katz, after getting a diagnosis confirmed, Porzingis has been able to manage the condition without medication — a high-salt diet and a more regimented resting schedule (off the court) are among the key factors.

Within his larger story about Porzingis and the Hawks, Katz notes that the offseason traded to Atlanta came as a bit of a surprise to the big man, since his agent had been keeping him up to speed on Boston’s trade discussions with three other teams: theClippers,Spurs, andSuns. While Porzingis may have been surprised to learn of his landing spot, he wasn’t upset about it.

“We are an aspiring team, a young team that aspires to win a championship one day, and that’s the cool part,”Porziņgis said.“Even by the betting odds, we’re not too far off.”

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

• AlthoughTyler Herroexpressed last month that he hoped to reach an agreement with theHeat on a contract extension before the season began, he also made it clear he wouldn’t let it affect his play if they couldn’t come to terms, writesAnthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. As Chiang details, Herro’s window to negotiate an extension will reopen on July 1, 2026 and will remain open either until he signs a new contract or through the entire 2026/27 league year, all the way up until June 30, 2027.
• Josh Robbins of The Athletic spoke to five rival talent evaluators around the NBA about the upside of the new-lookMagic and how the additions ofDesmond Bane andTyus Jones will impact the club.“They finally addressed their shooting, and they addressed it coherently and skillfully and efficiently with the two guys,” one scout said.“… (Jones) is not perfect, but he never makes a mistake, and he makes threes, and he can run a team, and he is a true point guard, which they didn’t have. … KCP didn’t work out, and Bane is younger and better, maybe not quite the defender, not quite as big. But he’s a better play-maker. He’s a good play-maker. He’s got secondary ball-handling skills.”
• The longest-tenured member of theHornets‘ roster,Miles Bridges has never won more than 43 games in a season or made the playoffs during his time in the NBA, but that hasn’t dampened his enthusiasm for playing in Charlotte, asRoderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer relays (subscription required).“Man, I love the city of Charlotte,”Bridges said.“I’m happy to be here. I’m just hoping to reward the city with some wins. That’s all I’ve been talking about since I’ve been here. I think this is the year to do it.” The veteran forward added that he’s fully locked in on finding ways to win games this season and isn’t thinking about his individual stats at all:“I want to actually contribute to winning this year. That’s doing what I need to do. Defense, rebound and scoring the ball. I feel like I could do it all. But (it’s about) just helping this team out the right way.”

• Full Story
• 2 Comments

• Categories:
• Atlanta Hawks
• Charlotte Hornets
• Los Angeles Clippers
• Miami Heat
• Orlando Magic
• Phoenix Suns
• San Antonio Spurs
• Desmond Bane
• Kristaps Porzingis
• Miles Bridges
• Tyler Herro
• Tyus Jones

Heat, Jimmy Butler Reach Settlement Over 2024/25 Fines

TheHeat andJimmy Butler have reached a settlement agreement on the fines that accompanied multiple team-imposed suspensions last season, reportsIra Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscription required).

According to Winderman, Butler recouped approximately half of about $6MM in salary that he forfeited during those suspensions while he was a member of the Heat.

A source familiar with the deal told the Sun Sentinel that both parties were satisfied with the agreement, which was reached after the players’ union filed a grievance on Butler’s behalf. As Winderman explains, the Heat were found during the appeals process to be within their right to have suspended the star forward, while Butler was considered to be “reasonable in questioning the degree of the sanctions.”

Butler, who was seeking a trade out of Miami prior to February’s deadline, was repeatedly suspended by the Heat due to conduct detrimental to the team, disregarding team rules, and, eventually, “withholding services.”

The NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement called for Butler to be docked $336,543 per game (1/145th of his $48,798,677 salary) for his initial suspensions for conduct detrimental to the team, which covered nine games, then $532,737 per game (1/91.6th of his salary) on his last indefinite suspension for failure to render services. That last suspension covered five games before the trade sending him to Golden State was finalized.

Settlement agreements aren’t uncommon in situations like this one. For instance, whenBen Simmons forfeited nearly $20MM of his salary in 2021/22 for a failure to render services, he and the Sixers eventuallyworked out a settlement that saw him recoup a portion of that lost salary.

Butler’s first full season with theWarriors got off to a good start on Tuesday, as he racked up 31 points while making all 16 of his free throws en route to a victory over the Lakers.

• Full Story
• 15 Comments

• Categories:
• Golden State Warriors
• Miami Heat
• Jimmy Butler