NBPA Plans Appeal Against NBA's Unpaid Leave for Rozier Amid Gambling Charges

Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups were placed on unpaid leave by the NBA following their arrests on federal charges involving an illegal sports gambling scheme and a rigged poker game, respectively. Rozier is accused of using insider NBA knowledge to inform a co-defendant about leaving a game early, enabling sports bettors to profit, while Billups faces charges for his involvement in a mafia-linked poker ring. The NBA is holding Rozier's $26.4 million salary in escrow during the legal proceedings, a move contested by the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) as violating the Collective Bargaining Agreement and the presumption of innocence. The NBPA has announced plans to challenge the NBA's decision through proper channels and file a grievance on Rozier’s behalf. The league maintains that upholding the integrity of the game is paramount and continues to cooperate with authorities, but the collective bargaining agreement does not explicitly allow unpaid leave for gambling-related matters, leaving the dispute subject to arbitration. Ultimately, the resolution will depend on whether the NBA's actions conform to the CBA provisions and the findings of the legal process.