We have another trade, folks.
The Heat have been flying under the radar for most of the season, but they made an aggressive move on Tuesday, acquiring Terry Rozier from the Hornets. In return, Charlotte will reportedly receive Kyle Lowry and a future first-round pick from Miami.
Which team won the trade? Here are some first impressions of the deal for the Heat and Hornets.
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Terry Rozier trade details
Heat receive:
- Terry Rozier
Hornets receive:
- Kyle Lowry
- 2027 first-round pick
Heat grade: A
The Heat missed out on Donovan Mitchell and Damian Lillard. Rozier, 29, isn't the star that they are, but he's having the best season of his career, isn't nearly as expensive, and has the potential to fit with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo like a glove.
Through 30 games, Rozier is averaging 23.2 points, 6.6 assists and 3.9 rebounds while shooting 45.9 percent from the field and 35.8 percent from 3-point range. His shot-making and playmaking should be a nice addition to a Heat team that currently ranks 20th in offensive efficiency.
Rozier's catch-and-shoot numbers are down this season, but he's been a good-to-excellent standstill 3-point shooter for most of his career. He should provide important spacing for Butler and Adebayo, and it helps that he has experience playing off of stars. In Boston, Rozier was teammates with Kyrie Irving, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. In Charlotte, he played next to LaMelo Ball.
Rozier can take some of the playmaking burden off of Butler and Adebayo, too. He's among the league leaders in drives this season and can create for himself off the dribble.
Defensively, Tyler Herro and Rozier make for a smaller backcourt that good teams will look to attack, but Butler and Adebayo are still ace defenders. Plus, Erik Spoelstra is a genius. Look for him to make the most of Rozier's speed and length.
Lowry, 37, is averaging 8.2 points per game and was recently moved to the bench. The biggest risk involved in the deal for the Heat is the first-round pick, which is reportedly lottery-protected in 2027 and unprotected in 2028 if it conveys. Butler will be in his late 30s at that point. That pick could turn out to be valuable.
Hornets grade: B
There's a lot still up in the air for Charlotte.
The Hornets don't have any immediate plans to buy Lowry out, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The team will reportedly see if they can trade him before the trade deadline, which is a couple of weeks away. Can they flip him for more future assets?
As for the pick, it could be valuable, but the Heat have had only two losing seasons over the last decade, and they still won almost 40 games in those seasons. As long as Spoelstra and Pat Riley are pulling the strings, they will find ways to be competitive.
This deal will open up cap space for the Hornets. While Rozier is under contract through 2025-26, Lowry will be a free agent in the offseason. It'll be interesting to see what Charlotte's new office will do with that freedom.
