While his name remains tied to one of the league’s most closely watched legal battles, Terry Rozier just picked up a significant victory off the court.
According to ESPN, an independent arbitrator ruled on Monday, February 2, that the Miami Heat guard must be paid the salary the NBA had been withholding since late last year.
Rozier’s 2025–26 paychecks—approximately $26.6 million—had been placed in escrow after his arrest and indictment in the ongoing NBA gambling scandal. That money will now be released.
The decision hinged on the language of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. According to sources familiar with the ruling, players can’t be put on unpaid leave unless the case involves domestic or child abuse. Rozier’s situation didn’t meet those criteria, so the league didn’t have grounds to freeze his pay.
His attorney, Jim Trusty, framed it plainly.
“Terry won today under principles of contract law and the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the league and the players, but the bigger principle at issue is the presumption of innocence,” Trusty said in a statement. “Today’s arbitration ruling reminds the NBA that they can’t ignore that important concept just because it’s a high-profile case.”
The National Basketball Players Association backed that stance, saying it remains focused on “ensuring Terry’s due process rights are protected and that he is afforded the presumption of innocence throughout this process.”
Rozier has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering charges. His legal team has also filed a motion to dismiss the case, arguing that the government is overreaching. For now, he remains on Miami’s roster but hasn’t suited up this season.
The salary fight is only one piece of a much larger picture.
Rozier is one of several NBA figures named in a sweeping federal investigation that merges two separate gambling probes. Prosecutors allege that certain defendants misused non-public basketball information—such as player availability or injuries—to give bettors an edge.
In Rozier’s case, authorities allege he told an associate he planned to leave early during a March 2023 game while playing for the Charlotte Hornets. That associate allegedly sold the tip to gamblers, who then wagered more than $200,000 on the under for his stat line.
Rozier has denied wrongdoing.