Bye, George: Big trade came with big losers

Terry Rozier is being investigated by federal prosecutors to determine whether he manipulated his performance as part of an illegal sports betting scheme. The same investigation has already led to a criminal charge and a lifetime ban from the NBA for former Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter.

Rozier hasn’t been charged with a crime or accused of wrongdoing. It couldn’t be learned if investigators have determined whether he was deliberately helping bettors.

The game in question took place on March 23, 2023, when Rozier was a member of the Charlotte Hornets. The betting on Rozier was strange enough that day to raise alarms at U.S. Integrity, a firm that works with sports entities, gambling operators and government agencies to monitor betting markets for suspicious activity.

Rozier played just over nine minutes before being substituted out during a timeout. He left with a foot injury and didn’t return. Rozier would miss the remaining eight games for the Hornets

“In March 2023, the NBA was alerted to unusual betting activity related to Terry Rozier’s performance in a game between Charlotte and New Orleans,” NBA spokesman Mike Bass said. “The league conducted an investigation and did not find a violation of NBA rules. We are now aware of an investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York related to this matter and have been cooperating with that investigation.”