The Miami Heat used up their final roster spot on Tuesday. (Mandatory Credit: Michael Wyke/AP Photo)
Terry Rozier had a bad season — a very bad season, one of the worst of his career.
While the Miami Heat used up their final roster spot on Tuesday to acquire fourth-year guard Simone Fontecchio in the Duncan Robinson sign-and-trade, they are not planning on waiving-and-stretching Terry Rozier to free up a roster spot, Heat insider Barry Jackson reported Wednesday.
“By waiving-and-stretching Rozier, his $26.6 million salary next season (the final year of his contract) would be spread over several years,” Jackson wrote. “Miami instead will either trade Rozier (if it finds a deal it likes) or keep him next season.”
Rozier, 31, averaged 10.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game on 39.1 percent shooting and a dismal 29.5 percent from 3-point range.
He will be entering the final year of his contract at $26.6 million, but only $24.9 million is guaranteed. As a result, assuming the Heat did waive-and-stretch Rozier, Miami would be on the hook for $8.3 million each of the next three seasons.
In today’s two-apron era, that’s not worth it. They made the mistake once by stretching Ryan Anderson’s contract in 2019 in order to complete the Jimmy Butler sign-and-trade, which limited its flexibility in future seasons. The same mistake can’t be made today in the two-apron era, where every dollar matters–especially if the Heat need flexibility in ensuing offseason for exceptions, tax reasons or the hard-cap.
The Milwaukee Bucks stretched Damian Lillard’s $113 million over the next two seasons in order to sign Myles Turner, which will put the Bucks on the hook for $22.5 million over the next five years. Obviously, in Rozier’s case, the cap figure will be much lower for fewer seasons, but is it worth it for a team who won’t be contending anyway? I don’t think so.
Miami has nearly $185 million allocated to 15 players, $5.5 million below the luxury tax, $11.1 million below the first apron and $23 million below the second apron, where it’s hard-capped. Rozier’s expiring salary can still help the Heat create flexibility if they can find a taker, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of future draft capital or any other asset of value.
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