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An arbitrator has ruled that Terry Rozier must forfeit the majority of his $26.6 million NBA salary for the 2025-26 season due to a violation of his Heat contract.

Rozier was arrested by the FBI last October for alleged involvement in an illegal gambling scheme and has since pleaded not guilty. In late May, the arbitrator decided that Rozier breached his contract obligations because the conditions of his pretrial release in his criminal case left him in violation of the contract.

Rozier’s release conditions banned him from contacting anyone with the Heat and Hornets, and imposed travel restrictions.

Initially, the arbitrator ruled the Heat must pay Rozier his full salary since it ruled that he couldn’t be put back on unpaid leave by the NBA, which he was placed on when indicted by New York’s Eastern District.

Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, then stated that the team decided not to make payments to Rozier “almost immediately,” forcing a second round of arbitration in early April, per the court filing.

In his most recent court filing on Wednesday, Trusty asked that Rozier’s release conditions remove the Hornets from the no-contact list, as they removed Heat personnel from the no-contact list after his release from the team. Trusty argued that changing the condition could affect his ability to play in the NBA as the free agency negotiation period begins this month.

“Under the current ruling of the arbitrator, an inability to play for or against the Charlotte Hornets would constitute a ‘failure to perform services’ by Mr. Rozier and substantially diminish or eliminate any chance of being contracted by an NBA team,” Trusty wrote in the document.

Rozier is scheduled to be arraigned next week on new charges, including sports bribery and honest services wire fraud conspiracy, and will plead not guilty, per Trusty.

Rozier pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in October, when he also pleaded not guilty.

2026 NBA mock draft roundup: Fresh Celtics predictions amid Spurs-Knicks Finals originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The 2026 NBA Finals began Wednesday night when the New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs by overcoming a double-digit second-half deficit to win Game 1 on the road.

Jalen Brunson’s 30 points and fourth-quarter heroics dominated headlines after the game, but the real star of the series opener for the Knicks was center Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 18 points with 12 rebounds. But more importantly, Towns played really good defense against Spurs superstar center Victor Wembanyama.

It was another example of how important it is to have a center capable of guarding the league’s best big men. Many of the top contenders have a center who can impact games at a high level. That list includes Wembanyama and Towns, as well as Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, Rudy Gobert, Chet Holmgren, Evan Mobley and Alperen Sengun. Giannis Antetokounmpo could potentially be traded to a contender this offseason.

The Celtics are lacking in this department.

Neemias Queta had an excellent regular season as the starting center, but he was far less effective in the playoffs against Embiid. Queta scored fewer than 10 points in five of the seven first-round games against the Philadelphia 76ers, and he was also in foul trouble in several of those matchups.

One place where the Celtics can upgrade their frontcourt is the 2026 NBA Draft later this month. The C’s have the No. 27 overall pick in the first round.

Here’s a list of potential Celtics targets in Round 1 based on recent predictions from experts in 2026 NBA mock drafts.

Kevin O’Connor, Yahoo Sports: Sergio De Larrea, Wing, Valencia (Spain)

“The Celtics had good luck last year taking Hugo Gonzalez in the late first round. Why not go with another Spaniard? De Larrea is a tall playmaking guard with major feel and a knockdown jumper who thrives within team concepts. He suffered a dislocated shoulder that ended his 2024-25 season and removed him from draft boards, but it ended up a blessing in disguise since he returned with a bigger role and stronger production for a great team in the EuroLeague. With size, smarts and defensive versatility, he could carve out a role in the NBA if his international skill can translate.”

David Cobb, CBS Sports: Ebuka Okorie, PG, Stanford

“If you pop in the film of Okorie’s 36-point outburst from Stanford’s Jan. 14 win over North Carolina, you’ll wonder why he slipped this far. He followed it up with three more 30+ point showings during one of the most unexpectedly dominant freshman seasons in college basketball. The margins are slim for making it in the league as an undersized scoring guard. But if nothing else, perhaps he can sustain an NBA bench unit.”

Ricky O’Donnell, SB Nation: Tyler Tanner, Guard, Vanderbilt

“Tanner might be destined to return to college after being one of the most divisive players in this year’s class. He was one of the very best players in college basketball as a sophomore, but he’s just so small at a tick under 5’11 barefoot and 167 pounds with a 6’4.25 wingspan. He definitely plays bigger than his size on both ends with a sixth sense for forcing turnovers and a rare ability to dunk on your head for such a tiny guard. I have questions about his three-point shooting and creation ability at the next level. He’d be a great flier in this range.”

Zach Buckley, Bleacher Report: Henri Veesaar, C, North Carolina

“The Celtics typically load up with as many shooters as they can get, and they naturally have an affinity for floor-spacing bigs. Once financial constraints forced them to split from the likes of Al Horford and Kristaps Porziņģis in 2025, they pivoted to Luka Garza and Nikola Vučević. But Vučević is a free agent now, and Garza is unproven as a rotation regular, so Boston could continue its stretch-big search with Veesaar. He is a 7’0″ play-finisher both around the rim and beyond the three-point arc.”

Danny Chau, The Ringer: Joshua Jefferson, SF/PF, Iowa State

“The Celtics could stand to improve their secondary playmaking, regardless of position. The way the board has fallen, Boston could land one of the best passers in the class while also shoring up its frontcourt depth. Jefferson may not have ideal length for his position, but he makes up for that with brute strength, quick hands, and excellent two-way instincts. At their best, the Celtics exhibit a five-man flow that adapts to the coverage at hand. Having a quick processor like Jefferson on the floor would help keep things in motion.”

What in the world is going on with the Clippers?

It was eight months ago when reports surfaced that Steve Ballmer, owner of Los Angeles’ “other” team, was accused of circumventing the NBA’s salary cap rule by using Aspiration, a now-defunct green banking company, to pay star Kawhi Leonard $28 million for a “no show” job.

Almost immediately once the accusations became public back in September 2025, an investigation, led by David Anders and the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, began.

Ballmer and the Clippers initially welcomed the investigation, claiming innocence in two press releases sent out that day by saying, “Neither Mr. Ballmer nor the Clippers circumvented the salary cap or engaged in any misconduct related to Aspiration. Any contrary assertion is provably false.”

However, eight months later and no definitive end appears in sight. And NBA commissioner Adam Silver has had enough.

“The investigation has been conducted by a law firm independent of the NBA,” Silver said Wednesday prior to Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Knicks and Spurs. “Yes, ultimately we’re paying their bills, but they are doing the work independent of the league office, and my instruction to them is we can’t be investigating forever, but at some point, we have to wrap it up.

“But at the same time, the most important thing is that we get it right.”

If Ballmer and the Clippers are to be believed — their innocence that is — then why has this investigation taken so long? The NBA had an entire regular season — and most likely an entire postseason — during that span, including the Clippers hosting NBA All-Star game in February.

Silver spoke more on that topic Wednesday night.

“I think it’s clear they’re far along,” he said. “I think those reports are reading all the time from people who are being interviewed by them, and I think they understand that you can keep going on and on.

“But I think we’re close to the point now where I think we need to wrap this up because you also need finality. Their team has to understand what the situation is they’re going to be operating under, and so do the other 29 teams.”

The backstory began in September 2021 when Ballmer partially funded the Aspiration with a $50 million investment from his personal LLC, according to Pablo Torre.

Two weeks later, the Clippers and Aspiration announced a $300 million partnership, which included at the time a patch on the Clippers jerseys and continued sponsorship in the Intuit Dome.

The following April, Leonard signed a four-year, $28 million endorsement deal with Aspiration. This came nine months after he signed a four-year, $176.3 million max extension to stay with the Clippers.

The investigation came to life when Torre reported that an unnamed employee who purportedly worked for the banking company said Leonard’s sponsorship deal “was to circumvent the salary cap.”

In an interview with ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne in September 2025, Ballmer stated that he had no prior knowledge or involvement in Leonard’s deal with Aspiration.

“The notion that Steve invested in Aspiration in order to funnel money to Kawhi Leonard is absurd,” the Clippers said in a statement at the time. “There is nothing unusual or untoward about team sponsors doing endorsement deals with players on the same team. Neither Steve nor the Clippers organization had any oversight of Kawhi’s independent endorsement agreement with Aspiration. To say otherwise is flat-out wrong.”

Since then, Aspiration went bankrupt and co-founder Joseph Sanberg was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud.

Prosecutors were originally seeking 18 years in federal prison after saying Sanberg defrauded investors and lenders out of $248 million by fraudulently obtaining loans, falsifying bank and brokerage statements, and concealing that he was the source of some revenue booked by the company

For now, it’s still a wait-and-see game — with all eyes on what Silver will do once the investigation is completed.

“I certainly hear and read things all the time about the perception of what really happened or didn’t happen here, and my only reaction is I think I wouldn’t be doing my job if ultimately I issue the determination based on perception,” Silver said. “My job is to follow the facts, and what essentially happens here is that … findings will be made by this independent firm. That’s presented to me. It’s then ultimately my role to determine what the appropriate discipline, if any, should be meted out based on their findings.

“So it’s sort of two independent processes there, and that’s what’s happening right now.”

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No team is as good or as bad as its most recent game. This is the truest of gambling axioms, though it may not apply to a team’s 12 most recent games. Regardless, do not overreact to the New York Knicks’ 105-95 win in Game 1. 

The books are not, installing San Antonio as a 6.5-point favorite.

But this is a Knicks vs. Spurs props article, and these NBA picks run counter to some sportsbook movement simply because the value is too distinct to be explained away via one game.

Game 2 tips off at 8:30 ET on Friday, June 5.

Best Knicks vs Spurs props for Game 2

Player	Pick
Jalen Brunson	Over 6.5 assists	+120
Victor Wembanyama	Under 26.5 points	-110
Karl-Anthony Towns	Over 1.5 3-pointers	+150

Game 2 Prop #1: Jalen Brunson Over 6.5 assists

Jalen Brunson’s assists prop was set at 6.5 in Game 1, and the Under was priced at +115.

Yes, the New York Knicks star dished out just two assists while taking 31 shots (not a typo), but this is still an overreaction.

If anything, Brunson’s inefficient-though-heroic Game 1 should strengthen the argument that he will move the ball in Game 2. The San Antonio Spurs should leave him little choice.

Postseason series are defined by adjustments. San Antonio will focus its defense on preventing Brunson from beating it again. For that matter, Brunson should devote himself to not going 12-of-31 from the field again. To some degree, New York got away with one in that regard.

But mostly, one game should not flip the plus-money on this prop. That is an overreaction that creates value.

Game 2 Prop #2: Victor Wembanyama Under 26.5 points

Only headlines keep this prop elevated. Victor Wembanyama has fallen short of this modest points prop in three of his last four games. He did not reach 27 points in four of the seven games in the Western Conference Finals and in four of the six games against the Timberwolves.

Remove ejections and injuries, and Wembanyama has still fallen short of this number in nine of 16 genuine games this postseason.

In this matchup, Wembanyama faces a stiffer defensive challenge than the public is willing to acknowledge. For years now, talking heads and the basketball illiterate have thrown insults at Karl-Anthony Towns because they refuse to learn the game or consider a player's humanity. 

Their simultaneous ignorance and arrogance prevented them from seeing his quality defense, particularly his lower-body strength.

Towns’s strength keeps Wembanyama off balance more than he is used to, as well as further from the rim. Credit Towns for Wemby going 6-of-21 in Game 1. Only his 12-of-13 free-throw shooting got the Frenchman to 26 points.

This has not been a postseason of consistent scoring from the Defensive Player of the Year. This NBA Finals shouldn’t be, either.

Game 2 Prop #3: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 1.5 3-pointers

Speaking of overreactions, this prop was priced at +120 in Game 1. Then, Towns went 0-of-2 from deep, boosting this payout to +150.

The odds increase makes some sense. Towns taking only a pair of 3-pointers is concerning. But the Spurs should try to cut off his drives to the rim after their success in Game 1. And doing so should naturally increase Towns’s 3-point attempts.

Going 0-of-2 in Game 1 lowered his postseason 3-point shooting percentage to 46.8%. Someone hitting nearly half their 3-pointers should not be priced at +150 to hit a pair of threes in Game 2.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.