Terry Rozier’s defense team is pushing back after federal prosecutors added new charges in the NBA betting case. The case is tied to his early exit from a 2023 Charlotte Hornets game.
The former Miami Heat guard now faces bribery in sporting contests. He also faces an honest services wire fraud conspiracy count in a superseding indictment filed in Brooklyn federal court. He had already pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Prosecutors keep focus on one game
The new indictment does not add a second game to the case. It still centers on Charlotte’s March 23, 2023, game against the New Orleans Pelicans, when Rozier left in the first quarter and did not return.
Prosecutors claim Rozier told others he would leave early, allowing bettors to place under wagers on his points, assists and other statistics. The indictment says the betting group won more than $250,000 from wagers tied to his reduced playing time.
The new charges claim Rozier agreed to take a bribe for leaving the game. Prosecutors allege the payment fell from about $100,000 to about $70,000 because Rozier finished with four rebounds, which went over one betting line.
Rozier case keeps changing
Rozier’s lawyer, Jim Trusty, has framed the superseding indictment as an attempt to keep the case alive with new legal theories. The defense has already moved to dismiss the earlier charges, arguing that prosecutors stretched federal fraud law too far.
Rozier’s team is challenging whether sportsbooks lost property or honest services in the way prosecutors claim. The defense has also pointed to recent Supreme Court limits on wire fraud cases. Rozier has denied taking part in the betting scheme. He is out on bond while the case continues.
Release terms affect NBA return
Rozier’s team is also asking the court to change his pretrial release conditions, which restrict contact with people connected to the Charlotte Hornets. That issue could affect his basketball future. Rozier missed the 2025-26 season after his arrest, and the Heat released him in April. The NBA can also withhold most of his $26.6 million salary after an arbitration ruling tied to his inability to play under his contract.
Prosecutors have allowed Rozier to resume contact with Miami, but not Charlotte. His defense argues that the remaining restriction could stop him from signing with another NBA team if he cannot play games involving the Hornets.
