The NBA and the Charlotte Hornets filed a joint brief on Monday urging federal prosecutors to maintain the no-contact restriction that bars veteran guard Terry Rozier from communicating with current and former Hornets personnel while he remains out on bond. Rozier faces four federal charges tied to an investigation into alleged gambling and insider-information violations.

Prosecutors originally placed Rozier on a list that includes every current and former Hornets coach and other staff members. The Miami Heat were also on that list until the team waived Rozier on April 10, after which the Heat were removed. Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall of the Eastern District of New York is considering a request from Rozier’s counsel to lift the restriction, arguing that it effectively prevents him from returning to the NBA.

The league’s concern, articulated in a filing to the court, is that allowing Rozier back onto the court could put him in a position to interact with potential witnesses inside arenas before or after games. Federal prosecutors note that Rozier has already texted one person on the prohibited list and that they are investigating credible allegations that at least one co-defendant, possibly acting on Rozier’s behalf, has contacted witnesses.

Rozier’s lawyer, Jim Trusty, countered that the NBA’s push to keep the no-contact rule in place is a strategy to deprive his client of the $26.6 million he is slated to receive this season. Trusty wrote, “The NBA and the Miami Heat have 26 million reasons to try to use bond conditions as a disqualification for Terry Rozier from playing basketball,” suggesting that the restriction is designed to affect his compensation rather than solely to protect the investigation.

If the judge upholds the current terms, Rozier will remain barred from playing, and the $26.6 million salary could be withheld pending the outcome of the case. A relaxation of the rule would likely trigger arbitration over the owed amount and force the Hornets to decide whether to reintegrate Rozier or absorb the financial impact of his absence. The decision will shape the Hornets’ roster planning for the remainder of the season.

Beyond Charlotte, the case highlights the NBA’s broader approach to gambling-related probes. By insisting on stringent contact restrictions, the league signals its willingness to prioritize investigative integrity, even when it intersects with a player’s contractual earnings and a team’s on-court competitiveness.