With only a couple weeks until the trade deadline, the Miami Heat have worked a deal to strengthen their backcourt. Adrian Wojnarowski reported that they are acquiring Terry Rozier from the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Kyle Lowry and a first-round pick.
Rozier is in the midst of a career-year, putting up averages of 23.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 6.6 assists. This move puts an end to the Lowry experiment in Miami, which fell way short of expectations.
With the addition of Terry Rozier, the Miami Heat now have a reliable point guard to share the backcourt with Tyler Herro. Once he has joined the team, the offensive-minded guard is a prime candidate to enter the starting lineup.
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While this is a bit of a smaller move since only two player were involved, the Heat now have a slight change in their depth chart. Here is an updated look following the trade for Rozier.
After making the NBA Finals last year, the Miami Heat are still looking to contend in the Eastern Conference. They currently sit in sixth place in the standings with a 24-19 record. However, they are only three games out of a top four seed.
Is Terry Rozier an upgrade for the Miami Heat?
Giving up a first-round pick to get off Kyle Lowry's contract is a tough blow, but this is still a good deal for the Miami Heat. Terry Rozier is signed through the next two seasons, and brings what they need at the point guard position.
With guys like Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo leading the charge, the Heat have always been fine from a defensive standpoint. However, there were multiple points during their playoff run last year where it was clear they lacked firepower. Part of this had to do with Tyler Herro being injured, but Miami needed more offense.
From a fit standpoint, Rozier should fit in well with the Heat. He is a score-first guard that is capable of putting up points in bunches. Now, Miami has three players in their starting lineup who are capable of creating offense for themselves and others. This should help lessen Butler's offensive load on a nightly basis to get him through the regular season.
Another thing that makes Rozier a good fit for Miami is his playoff history. During his time with the Boston Celtics, he proved he wasn't scared of the big moments. This is crucial for the Heat, as they hope to go on another deep run this year.
Rozier's best playoff series came in the 2018 Eastern Conference semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers. Across five games, he averaged 19.0 PPG and 4.4 APG while shooting over 41% from three.
Armed with another high-powered offensive guard, the Heat have now become a team to watch in the East for the second half of the season.
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