It's June, and that means the NBA Draft is this month. The Miami Heat will have the No. 20 pick in this year's draft, and as we have been chronicling here at All You Can Heat, the common belief is that Miami needs to target a guard who can score in this year's draft.
A big reason why Miami is almost forced to take a narrow approach to the draft is thanks to the one bad contract that is currently weighing the roster down.
Terry Rozier will be the 4th highest paid player for the Miami Heat
When you say the name Terry Rozier in Miami, usually a thrown drink is bound to come flying back. Miami acquired Rozier from Charlotte in 2024 while he was still putting up 20+ points a night, and on paper, it seemed like he would pair well with Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro.
That's why games are played on the court and not on paper, as Rozier's time in Miami has not gone well, and his role on the team heading into the 2025/26 season is problematic for a couple of reasons:
- He's the fourth-highest player on the team, set to make over $26 million this upcoming season.
- Miami doesn't have a ton of wiggle room in the draft because of Rozier making $26 million.
If Rozier had been as advertised when he came to Miami, the Heat wouldn't feel forced to get a guard in the draft. The Heat could feel like they have the wiggle room to draft one of the high-upside forwards who will be available at No. 20, or they could even consider another big man to rotate with Kel'el Ware to continue to free up where Bam Adebayo can go on the court.
And because Rozier's $26 million on the cap is also going to limit what Miami can do in free agency unless they get creative, it's also going to dictate that Miami might feel the need to draft a guard who can make an impact right now versus getting a guy they feel like they would have time to develop.
Rozier comes off the books after next season, and Miami will have better wiggle room in 2026. But for the 2025 draft, one bad contract has Miami contained in a box.