Suspended For Role in NBA Betting Scandal, Rozier Fights For Lost Wages
Jesse M. Cox Published 04/06/2026
Disgraced former NBA player Terry Rozier was back in court on Wednesday. A motion filed by Rozier’s attorney revealed Rozier’s intention to change the conditions outlined for his release in his criminal case. Rozier is facing criminal charges for his alleged role in an illegal gambling scheme. At the time of his arraignment, the court ruled that the NBA had the authority to withhold most of Rozier’s $26.6 million salary.
By changing the language, his attorneys are hopeful that it could allow Rozier to fight that ruling in arbitration again. If successful, he could enter free agency this summer to secure a new contract. At this point, though, it remains unclear whether any team would have interest in signing him.
Rozier is fighting an uphill battle
Ex-NBA player Rozier is facing charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. Following his indictment, Rozier was given a conditional release on a $6 million bond. A condition of his bail was that Rozier may have no contact with current or former employees of either the Charlotte Hornets or Miami Heat. Rozier was playing for the Hornets at the time of his alleged crimes. He would later play for the Heat.
Federal prosecutors recently dropped the condition that Rozier cannot have any contact with Miami Heat personnel.
The accusation that Rozier is facing is that he alerted gamblers he would be leaving early from a March 2023 game for the Hornets. Those gamblers were then placing significant bets on the unders for player props involving Rozier's stats for that game.
Rozier was under NBA suspension for the entire 2025-26 season. In April, the Heat placed him on waivers.
In February, an arbitrator's ruling was that Rozier should be entitled to his salary. However, the NBA would file an appeal. resulting in that decision being overturned on May 20.
Rozier's lawyers argue that he's being punished while under the presumption of innocence
In court, Rozier's attorney Jim Trusty was making the argument that the conditions of Rozier's bond are preventing him from earning a living as an NBA player while still under the presumption of innocence.
“With forced inactivity, Mr. Rozier is facing a potential second season of non-participation despite being entitled to a presumption of innocence,” Trusty stated in his motion. “Under the current ruling of the arbitrator, an inability to play for or against the Charlotte Hornets would constitute a ‘failure to perform services’ by Mr. Rozier and substantially diminish or eliminate any chance of being contracted by an NBA team.”
The former NBA player is facing new charges
Complicating this entire process is that Rozier suddenly finds himself facing new charges. He was indicted on May 28 in a Brooklyn, N.Y., court on new bribery charges. Federal prosecutors are alleging that Rozier accepted a $100,000 bribe. In exchange for the money, Rozier agreed to manipulate his performance in an NBA game.
Convicted gambler Marves Fairley told prosecutors that he agreed to pay Rozier and his friend Deniro Laster $100,000. In return for the money, Rozier agreed that he would leave early from a March 2023 game while playing for the Charlotte Hornets. Rozier left the game with a reported lower leg injury. There was no indication on the pre-game NBA injury report that Rozier was dealing with a leg injury.
Through his lawyer, Rozier denies the allegations.
“[This] just confirms that our motion to dismiss was righteous," Truty told Associated Press. "New charges, new theories, but all just a sad effort to make something stick.”
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