Rumors

While guard Terry Rozier remains on the Miami Heat’s roster, his release is expected in the coming weeks. Rozier likely won’t be on the Heat’s postseason roster, according to a league source.

Miami Herald

With Rozier away from the team and not expected back this season in the wake of his Oct. 23 arrest stemming from a federal investigation into illegal gambling, the Heat is expected to waive Rozier before the end of the regular season to open a roster spot to add a player for depth in the postseason.

Miami Herald

One of the reasons the Heat hasn’t yet released Rozier — even though he can no longer be used in a trade since the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline already passed — is because it doesn’t feel the immediate need to add a replacement player because of its current depth. Even with some injury issues along the way, Heat players who were once in the rotation earlier this season like Nikola Jovic, Simone Fontecchio, Dru Smith and Myron Gardner have recently had their playing time cut with the roster moving closer to full health.

Miami Herald

In an Instagram story on Friday, which included a screenshot of the email, Nina Westbrook tied the hostility to the growth of gambling culture, which has coincided with increased vitriol toward players and their families across sports. The Athletic could not independently verify the authenticity of the email. An email message sent to the sender’s address in the screenshot went unanswered. In the expletive-laden message, the writer said Russell Westbrook “sucks to fckn bad can’t even get 10 points is pathetic I hope you both die in a car crash dumb b—-.”

New York Times

“Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. It’s something my husband and I consider routine. With that said, I’m sharing this now because I’m growing increasingly concerned for athletes,” she wrote, citing her experience as a licensed marriage and family therapist. “I felt it important to highlight the effects that sports betting has on individuals and how it puts athletes and their families in potentially dangerous positions.”

New York Times

As federal prosecutors continue to investigate possible illegal sports gambling on NBA games, they are looking into additional games beyond the seven contests named in a Department of Justice indictment this fall.

New York Times

“The government has ongoing investigations,” David Berman, an assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District, said in court last week. “And our understanding is the defendant has conducted himself in similar manners in other instances as well.” It is not known how many games are being investigated, or if there are other NBA players who may be implicated.

New York Times

Timothy McCormack, a self-proclaimed gambling addict, received a two-year prison sentence Wednesday as he became the first defendant to be sentenced for his role in a sweeping conspiracy involving NBA players Terry Rozier and Jontay Porter.

ESPN

Barry Jackson: Per source, one reason why the NBA hasn't terminated Rozier contract and given Miami cap space (unlike what it did with J. Porter) is the league has not been given access to whatever evidence the feds have in their charges against Rozier. So NBA has no evidence to overturn its previous conclusion that Rozier did nothing wrong. Heat operating under belief it can trade him as a cap facilitator.

x.com

In a legal document made public Tuesday, Jim Trusty, Rozier's attorney, argues that the federal government failed to clearly state Rozier's offense in the indictment and is trying to "enforce its view of integrity in sports wagering." "The government has billed this case as involving 'insider betting' and 'rigging' professional basketball games," Trusty, a partner at Ifrah Law, wrote. "But the indictment alleges something less headline-worthy: that some bettors broke certain sportsbooks' terms of use."

ESPN

MrBuckBuck: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver message to fans worried about the game's integrity: “My message is the integrity is absolutely solid… I understand from a fan's standpoint that there is nothing more important than the integrity of the game.”

x.com

Shams Charania: The NBA is enacting several sports betting policies to its 30 teams, including changing injury reporting rules: Teams now will be required to resubmit injury listings on game day between 11 am and 1 pm local time and update public reports every 15 minutes, sources tell ESPN.

x.com

Shams Charania: NBA is also pushing gaming companies for changes to prop bets involving individual players, such as: - limiting maximum amount that can be bet - limitations on "unders" - limiting population of players - eliminating problematic bet types, like bets on an action on a single play

x.com

Oh No He Didn't: Shams: "A source told me that Chauncey Billups will be pleading not guilty to the illegal sports betting charges"

x.com