The NBPA will “appeal the NBA’s decision” to place Heat G Terry Rozier on unpaid leave after he was arrested last week. The NBA placed Rozier on leave hours after the federal government unsealed charges against him and Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups. An NBPA spokesperson said, “While we are in agreement with the league that upholding the integrity of the game is of the utmost importance, their decision to place Terry on leave without pay is counter to the presumption of innocence and inconsistent with the terms of our collective bargaining agreement.” The NBA’s CBA, the league’s governing document, does “not specifically allow the league to put a player on leave for such matters.” The NBA Constitution “seems to give commissioner Adam Silver more latitude.” Article 24 gives him “broad powers to punish members of the NBA in instances that are not directly spelled out in the constitution or its bylaws” (THE ATHLETIC, 10/29).
Rozier and Billups will “not receive their salaries while on leave for their arrests on federal gambling-related charges,” according to sources cited by the AP. Rozier had been “due to receive the first installment” of a $26.6M annual salary with the Heat “later this week.” Sources said that the first installment, “and future installments, will be held pending resolution of his legal case.” A source said that if Rozier is cleared and allowed to return to the NBA, which placed him on leave hours after his arrest, he “could receive the held payments in full.” A source said that the Heat will “not receive any immediate salary cap relief by the NBA’s decision.” A source said that Billups is “having his salary held by the Trail Blazers” (AP, 10/29).
