In a perfect world, the Miami Heat would be able to trade Terry Rozier before the start of the 2025-26 NBA season. But that's not happening. Instead, the Heat buying out Rozier's contract at some point over the next few months seems like the most unavoidable outcome between the two sides.
Don't get me wrong, the Heat are going to try to move on from Rozier's contract via trade. That's certainly been the sentiment across the league. But even as an expiring contract, the Heat quickly found out it may not hold the value on the open market that perhaps they believed it would.
And that's the biggest reason why the Heat, at least at this point, appears to be "stuck" with Rozier for now.
Rozier's underwhelming tenure with the Heat
Rozier's time with the Heat has been underwhelming. When Miami acquired Rozier (in exchange for Kyle Lowry and a future first-round pick), the team was hoping they'd be getting a veteran who could help push the Jimmy Butler build forward.
Fast forward a year and a half, the Heat's entire blueprint has seemingly fallen apart. That's not all Rozier's fault, but he certainly didn't blossom into the acquisition the franchise hoped he'd be.
But because of he's almost certainly going to start the season on the Heat's roster, there's probably a shot he can rebuild his value.
The next steps for the Heat, Rozier
If I had to guess, my assumption would be that Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is going to try to make the best out of this situation. And Spo, considering he loves his veteran players, is going to allow Rozier to prove himself once again. When training camp rolls around, he's going to let him compete for a spot in the rotation.
Is that the best course of action for the team moving forward? I'm not sure, especially if the Heat is genuine with their desire to let their young core develop and blossom. But, again, Spo coaches to win.
For better or worse, that's been the expectation throughout his tenure with the Heat. With or without Rozier, the Heat play to win.
For now, it does seem as if Rozier is going to start the season on the Heat's roster. It'd be surprising if that remained the case throughout the entire year. But if the Heat does move on from Rozier, it's not going to be in the manner in which fans want.
The Heat and Rozier are likely headed toward a buyout. It may not happen until after the NBA Trade Deadline, but this feels like an inevitability at this point.