Rozier questionable for Wednesday’s game. And what to know about what picks Heat can trade
Whether new Heat guard Terry Rozier makes his Heat debut Wednesday against visiting Memphis remained in question Tuesday.
Even though the trade was announced mid-afternoon, the league considers it pending until both players report to their teams.
As a result, Rozier was listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game.
The Hornets reportedly intend to keep Kyle Lowry for the moment, as opposed to buying him out immediately, in order to see if they can flip his contact to another team before the Feb. 8 trade deadline.
Also for the Heat, forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. is listed as doubtful for the Grizzlies game (7:30 p.m., Bally Sports Sun). He’s expected to miss his fifth consecutive game with a groin injury but is drawing closer to a return.
DRAFT PICK FALLOUT
Here’s what to know regarding the Heat’s draft assets in the wake of Tuesday’s trade that sent Rozier to the Heat and Lowry and a 2027 protected Heat first-round pick to Charlotte:
▪ The Heat owes a lottery-protected first-round pick to Oklahoma City in 2025. If the Heat surprisingly misses the playoffs next season, then the Thunder would get the Heat’s 2026 unprotected first-round pick instead of Miami’s 2025 pick, and Charlotte then would get Heat’s unprotected first-round pick in 2028 instead of Miami’s protected first-round pick in 2027.
That adjustment would be required in order for the Heat to comply with an NBA rule preventing teams from trading future first-round picks in consecutive years.
▪ Because of that rule, the Heat can now trade only one future first-round draft pick (in 2030).
But Miami theoretically could trade its 2024 first-round pick as well if it has a prearranged trade on draft night and Miami selects a player on behalf of that other team. That would be the only scenario where the Heat could essentially trade two of its first-round picks in the coming months. The Heat would be free to trade a first-round pick that it acquires from another team.
▪ Teams can trade first-round picks seven years out. So most teams can trade a 2031 first-round pick after June 27, the date of this year’s NBA Draft. But the Heat can trade only its 2030 or 2031 first-year pick - not both. So the seven-year-out rule doesn’t free up another first-round pick for Miami to trade for another 17 months.
▪ The only way the Heat could trade two future first-round picks would be if it tells OKC they can take Miami’s 2025 first-round pick, regardless of whether it’s a lottery pick, and if it tells Charlotte it can take Miami’s 2027 first-round pick, regardless of whether it’s a lottery pick.
In that one specific scenario, the Heat — after the June 27 draft — could trade future first-round picks in 2029 and 2031.
But only a chance to land a perennial All Star could possibly motivate the Heat to consider that.
OLYMPIC HONOR
Four Heat players — Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson — were among 41 players chosen by USA Basketball for the player pool from which the 2024 Paris Olympics team will be selected.
Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid, LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Damian Lillard and Kawhi Leonard are among others selected for the pool.
▪ Fun fact: The five players that Rozier stands just ahead of in NBA scoring? The owner of the NBA’s richest contract (Boston’s Jaylen Brown), and four former No. 1 overall picks (Cade Cunningham, Karl Anthony Towns, Paolo Banchero, Zion Williamson).
Rozier is 25th in the league in scoring at 23.2 points per game.
This story was originally published January 23, 2024 at 4:59 PM.
