Veteran Heat guard Terry Rozier, who missed the team’s final four regular season games and five playoff contests in the spring due to a neck injury, revealed on Tuesday that he was cleared to resume full basketball activities a couple weeks ago and has been doing on-court workouts, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Rozier said it was difficult not to be able to contribute to the team during its biggest games of the year after arriving in Miami in a midseason trade
“Obviously we all know why I came here, to be a big help for the playoffs and just to try to get this team some life,” Rozier said. “It just sucks that I couldn’t play in the most important part of the season, and I had to watch the guys that I go to war with. So it was tough. … It was just nonstop thinking about me just wishing I was out there with my guys. That’s why I’m glad that I’m cleared and everything else will take care of itself when the time comes.”
Rozier had to wear a neck brace while he recovered from the injury, but he made it clear on Tuesday that he never felt as if his career might be in jeopardy due to the ailment. The 30-year-old also indicated that he fully believes the Heat are capable of improving on last season’s result (46-36; No. 8 seed) even without any significant changes to the roster.
“I think the fans are bored right now, and they want to put as many scenarios as they can for us,” Rozier said. “But at the end of the day, we want to run it back with our same team, and we want to show the fans what we can bring to Miami. Obviously last year was tough on us, all of it as a whole. But we’re looking to get out there and impact, and make an impact all together.”
Here’s more on the Heat:
- After officially re-signing with the Heat on Monday, Haywood Highsmith admitted that his first real foray into free agency was an “up-and-down roller coaster,” but said he was “really satisfied” with the two-year, $11MM contract he received from Miami, according to Chiang.
- Asked about reports that he turned down a four-year, $58MM extension from the Heat prior to free agency, Caleb Martin explained why he passed on Miami’s offer and ultimately settled for a more modest free agent deal from the Sixers. “Just certain things didn’t work. There’s a lot of things behind the scenes that went on, but ultimately, there was a lot in making that decision and there’s a lot that contributed to how everything went, but past is past,” Martin said (Twitter link via Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer). “Can’t do nothing about that and like I said, I’m looking forward to being here and being a part of Philly and try to bring everything I can in order to try to win a championship so that’s my main focus now.” Martin’s offer from the Heat would’ve required him to pick up his $7.1MM player option for 2024/25, so he’ll at least earn a higher first-year salary in Philadelphia than he would’ve if he’d opted in.
- Examining the Heat’s financial situation, Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sentinel lays out why the roster is essentially set for the season unless they make a trade, since signing another free agent currently isn’t a viable option for the team.
- Veteran guard Alec Burks will be earning a minimum salary for just the second time in his NBA career in 2024/25, but he feels good about ending up in Miami, as Winderman writes for The Sun Sentinel. “The Heat Culture from afar, then I talked to (head coach Erik Spoelstra), made my decision,” Burks said when asked about choosing to sign with the Heat. “We had a great conversation. I think that’s the real reason I picked the team.”
Turned down more money and left Miami. That’s wild.
Martin took 1/2 as much… Heat deal was 65M.. He took 32M…. Absolutely a bonehead move. We as fans know that money was trying up, apron restrictions….bad advice from his representation….
While I don’t disagree that his reps misjudged the market, the difference isn’t quite that significant. Martin’s getting at least $35MM+ from Philadelphia, with incentives that can take it up over $40MM (and I expect those incentives won’t be that hard to earn). The Heat’s offer covered an extra year, which was probably in the $15-16MM range based on the reported numbers.
So the difference could be more like $49MM vs. $40MM over the next four years (without the security of that $15-16MM fifth year, assuming it was guaranteed). That’s bad, but not quite $65MM vs. $32MM bad.
But that extra year at age 34 for someone like him makes a big difference.
I think he’ll be 32 when he hits free agency (33 later that year), but yeah, fair.
That said, I don’t think he’ll be out of the league by that point and the cap could be $50MM higher, so he could still make up a good chunk of that lost $16MM in 2028/29. (And again, we don’t know for sure if the Heat’s offer would have been fully guaranteed).
The taxes make a huge difference. Florida vs PA. It’s more than half, but as a sixer fan I am happy with the way it worked out. Thai reminds me of when Nerlens Noel turned down a big extension to get hosed in the market
Nerlens Noel turned down 4yrs/ 70M from Dallas ( also no state tax)… Dennis Shroeder turned down $84M from Lakers a few years ago… Both those guys will regret not taking those deals… Noel is now a veteran minimum guy with injury history…
Why would Caleb think he could beat 58 mil on the open market, free agency is goin to be tempered from now on until some of the rules change, teams can’t spend bad money anymore, makes the talent get more spread out but Caleb’s reps should instantly be fired, speaking of Gary Trent better fire his too
I really don’t get what some of these agents were thinking. It was widely expected that the lower to middle class of players would get squeezed under the new CBA and that’s exactly how things have played out.
Also, it’s Caleb Martin. No disrespect to him as a player because he’s performed well above expectations and had some terrific playoff performances, but it’s not like he suddenly transformed into a good 3-and-D player. Plus, he’s nearing 30. Offering five years (final year opt in + four year extension) to someone like him was nuts.
Not really. You play basketball to win. The Sixers are much closer to winning a ring than the Heat. Martin has been in the GLeague a couple of times. He might as well go for it while you have the chance. Besides, he’ll probably end his career earning $80-$85 million, not bad for an undrafted GLeague vet.
“The Sixers are much closer to winning a ring than the Heat.”
If you say so.
@Occams I think @Giants is right. They have an MPV in their prime a rising star in Maxey and one of the best 2-way players ever… who is also one of the best 3pt shoots all time too.
As highly as I rate Jimmy and Bam(which is pretty high, esp in playoffs), unless Herro gets better or more importantly, stays outta the treatment room they’re better top end. And with the role players Philly now have, they’re better overall easily. Heats window closed. If I’m heat I move Butler for as much as possible before TD and prey to the lotto gods for Flagg, if not try to get the right players around Bam.
Caleb’s case should be a cautionary tale to FA’s next offseason …… those mid-tier salaries will be harder to come by, given the CBA revisions.
Extremely poor read of the market, by Caleb’s handlers.
Right…The money dries up quick there , mid-level FA really should take that money and run whenever a substantial offer is made , don’t attempt to play a very fickle market. Oubre was signed for the minimum last year. If you don’t take the offer , they’ll just plug the hole with one of dozens of other very average free agents. Very few are irreplaceable lol.
People always mention taxes when it comes to athletes salaries. I always find that silly. With their kind of salaries, a Tax Attorney and Financial Advisor comes attached to the paycheck. So, he won’t pay as much. Besides, the South Florida housing market is rather insane. Some estimates put it as being overvalued by as much as 35%. It will be a rather painful crash.
Have the details about how much of that contract was guaranteed been released? Like if Miami’s deal was only guaranteed for 2 years?
Don’t think it’s been reported definitively, but I’d imagine most or all of it was guaranteed — the fifth year is the only one I wouldn’t be sure about.
Martin’s case is almost certainly not a market mis-read, because there was no need for a market read. Noel was offered his extension prior to his last season in DAL, and DS mid year. That requires his people to assess the likely market the following off season. Martin (via his agent) almost certainly had an agreement he preferred. Perhaps the team who agreed to it didn’t follow through, but I doubt that. I think it was the PHI offer that he had.
FWIW, I read the PHI contract has a 4th year player option, after paying him a little under 30 mm for the first 3 years. Even if the MIA offer was fully guaranteed, he’d get at best a little over 32 mm in the first 3 years. For a player who believes in himself, that’s a small price to pay to get back in the FA market for his age 32 and 33 seasons (vs waiting a couple of years). There is also the matter (and it’s real) that MIA’s offer wasn’t made immediately.