The Miami Heat are making a significant move to boost their standing in the Eastern Conference at the halfway mark of the NBA season. According to multiple reports, the Heat have traded point guard Kyle Lowry to the Charlotte Hornets for guard Terry Rozier.
The Charlotte Hornets are trading Terry Rozier to the Miami Heat for a 2027 first-round pick and Kyle Lowry, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 23, 2024
The Heat have also given up a lottery-protected 2027 first round pick in the deal that turns into an unprotected pick in 2028 if it doesn't convey in 2027, according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Hornets are not planning to buy out Lowry's contract, which expires after this season, but hope to make further deals for draft picks before the trade deadline next month. Lowry, who had been traded to the Heat from the Toronto Raptors in 2021, started for most of the season before being benched in the Heat's past two games. Lowry's offense has seen a steady decline since he arrived in Miami and he's averaging single-digit points for the first time since the 2009-10 season.
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Scoring is Rozier's specialty, which is likely the reason the Heat parted ways with their veteran point guard to acquire the offensive-minded guard. Rozier is averaging a career-highs in points (23.2) and assists (6.6) this season, but has been an imperfect fit in Charlotte alongside LaMelo Ball.
Rozier hasn't been to the playoffs since the 2018-19 season when he was still with the Boston Celtics, but oddsmakers have already shifted Heat futures in the wake of the move. Prior to the trade, the Heat were tied with the New YorkKnicks at +1700 to win the Eastern Conference at FanDuel behind the Celtics (+150), Milwaukee Bucks (+190), Philadelphia 76ers (+500) on the odds board. After the trade, the Heat are +1400 to win the East, the Knicks dropped to +1900, the Celtics moved to +135, the Bucks are +220 and the 76ers are +480.
