Terry Rozier's attorney has filed a motion to dismiss gambling controversy charges against the NBA player, asserting that a text message from a co-defendant demonstrates Rozier's lack of awareness and involvement in any alleged betting fix. The motion, filed by attorney David Markus, focuses on a text allegedly sent by co-defendant Deniro Laster to another individual.
According to the filing, Laster wrote, "Dont tell chum bout the bet" on March 29, six days after Rozier left a game for the Charlotte Hornets after playing only nine minutes due to an apparent injury. "Chum" is reportedly Rozier's nickname. The filing argues that this message, and the recipient's response of "Hell no," indicates that Rozier was not informed about any bets and therefore could not have agreed to fix the game. "This should end the case. One does not hide a bet from the person who supposedly sold it," Markus stated in the motion.
Federal prosecutors, however, contend that the text message is unrelated to sports gambling. The indictment alleges that Rozier informed Laster he would leave a game early, citing an injury, so Laster could place wagers on his "under" propositions. Neither Hornets officials nor betting companies were reportedly aware of this plan, and Rozier was not listed on the team's injury report at the time. Laster then allegedly shared this information with co-conspirators, leading to approximately $200,000 in bets placed on Rozier's "under" prop bets. These bets reportedly won after Rozier exited the game early.
Prosecutors stated in April that they intended to file superseding charges, including sports bribery and honest services wire fraud, alleging that Rozier solicited and received a bribe as part of the scheme. Rozier was waived by the Miami Heat earlier this year.
This case is part of a larger crackdown on insider gambling in professional sports. In October, nearly three dozen individuals were arrested in separate cases involving betting on NBA games using inside information and a poker ring with alleged rigged games. Former NBA player and coach Damon Jones pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering in connection with these cases. Longtime NBA veteran Kevin Love has spoken about the negative impact of gambling on professional sports, calling it a "stain" and expressing hope for resolution.