On Tuesday morning, NBA.com reported that the Miami Heat had acquired Charlotte Hornets guard Terry Rozier for guard Kyle Lowry and a 2027 first-round pick.
In a move to push for a playoff berth, the Heat have added to their backcourt and traded a declining Kyle Lowry for Terry Rozier, who is averaging a career-best 22.7 points per game, 3.9 rebounds, 6.6 assists.
Miami have struggled with offense this season. They rank 27th (110.5) in points per game, 16th (12.4) in 3-pointers made, and 20th (113.6) in ORTG. Their offensive statistics are incredibly similar to when they faced the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals, and according to ESPN, their lack of offensive punch is what cost them the Finals.
Kyle Lowry is averaging 9.2 points per game, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists. Far from his days as an NBA Champion, the 6x All-Star has been unfulfilling for the Heat in his playmaking duties as a guard, instead those responsibilities had been shifted to Jamie Jacquez Jr., Tyler Herro, and others towards the end of his tenure. With the addition of Rozier, the Heat hope to increase their offensive production, and take some of the burden off of players like Herro and Jacquez Jr.
The Charlotte Hornets (10-32) are planning to build around their young core of LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller and are accumulating assets to do so. The Hornets, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, do not plan to buy out Kyle Lowry from his deal, but are working to piece together another trade to move him before the Feb. 8 deadline.
