Getty President Pat Riley of the Miami Heat addresses the media.
After the New York Knicks showed “a level of interest” in Terry Rozier, Pat Riley’s Miami Heat immediately scooped him up.
The Heat acquired Rozier from the Charlotte Hornets for Kyle Lowry and a lottery-protected 2027 first-round draft pick (unprotected in 2028 if it doesn’t convey in 2027) on January 23, according to multiple reports.
The 2027 first-round pick Miami is sending to Charlotte for Terry Rozier is lottery protected, per source, and then becomes unprotected in 2028.
The Charlotte Hornets are trading Terry Rozier to the Miami Heat for a 2027 first-round pick and Kyle Lowry, sources tell ESPN.
Riley’s move was in response to the Knicks trade for OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam going to Indiana as the battle of the Eastern Conference heats up.
The Heat and the Pacers are currently tied for 6th to 7th seeds in the East with 24-19 records behind the Knicks (26-17) and the Cleveland Cavaliers (26-15).
The 29-year-old Rozier gives the Heat a much younger point guard who is in his prime. Rozier is averaging 23.2 points and 6.6 assists, both career highs, this season.
Rozier was on the Knicks’ radar in their search for an Immanuel Quickley replacement. Once a Knicks strength, their bench scoring has suffered after giving up Quickley in the Anunoby trade.
Rozier is on the shortlist of trade candidates for the Knicks. With him off the board, the Knicks will pivot to their other options like Bruce Brown, Jordan Clarkson, Malcolm Brogdon and Alec Burks.
Isaiah Hartenstein is Questionable to Play vs Brooklyn Nets
The heavy minutes have started to take a toll on Isaiah Hartenstein.
Hartenstein is questionable to play in the Knicks’ intra-city rivalry match against the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, January 23, with a sore foot.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters Hartenstein did not participate in Monday’s practice and only joined them in the film room. But if he is concerned that two of his centers — Hartenstein and Mitchell Robinson (ankle surgery) — are out, he tries his best to conceal it.
“I love the depth that we have in that position,” Thibodeau said via SNY.
Precious Achiuwa, a throw-in in the Anunoby trade, stepped up when Hartenstein went out. Achiuwa lit up his former team, Toronto Raptors with 18 points and 11 rebounds with 1 block in a season-high 25 minutes.
Thibodeau will lean on Achiuwa and former second-round pick Jericho Sims if Hartenstein sits out.
“Precious played really well in the last game,” Thibodeau added. “We always have the option of Julius [Randle] for some minutes at the “5” as well as OG [Anunoby].”
Tom Thibodeau Tells Quentin Grimes to Stick to Routine Amid Trade Noise
As Quentin Grimes continues to struggle amid rumors that the Knicks have put him on the trade block, Thibodeau gave him a piece of advice on how to tackle it.
“This time of the year, I always say for every 100 trades to get talked about, one gets done,” Thibodeau said via SNY when asked if he had conversations with Grimes about the trade rumors. “That’s why I think you stick to your routine. You block out all the outside stuff. Know what’s in front of you and keep your focus there like basketball be your focus.”
Grimes had been demoted to the bench after he publicly griped over his lack of touches with the starting unit. Yet even after the departure of RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, Grimes failed to recover lost ground.
The third-year wing has only scored 4 points on a combined 2 of 13 shooting in 19.5 minutes over his last two games.