Prosecutors - Text says Rozier planned to bet on teammate - ESPN

A co-defendant in an NBA betting case told a gambler that he and Terry Rozier were planning to bet unders on the statistics of another Charlotte Hornets player, federal prosecutors alleged in a court filing Friday.

In April 2023, Deniro Laster allegedly texted co-conspirator Marves Fairley that he and Rozier were «setting up another under bets, this one involving one of Rozier's then-teammates,» prosecutors wrote in the filing. It is unclear whether Rozier knew about Laster's text. It is also unclear whether the teammate, who was not named, was aware of any plan or whether any attempt to bet on his unders took place.

The text message was allegedly sent about two weeks after Rozier left a March 23, 2023, game between the Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans in the first quarter. Rozier allegedly agreed to a $100,000 bribe to leave the game early and benefit bettors who wagered on the under on his statistics. Fairley, a Mississippi bettor, pleaded guilty to felony charges in the case and admitted in court that he had agreed to pay an NBA player to manipulate his performance.

The government alleges in the filing that Laster messaged a different then-NBA player he knew in April 2023 and asked if they were «tryna make 100k gang.» The NBA player was not named.

«It is our understanding that no other NBA player other than Terry Rozier is alleged to have engaged in any misconduct related to the gambling scheme claimed to have been perpetrated by Rozier and Deniro Laster,» an NBA spokesperson told ESPN in a statement. «We continue to cooperate with the government's investigation.»

David Markus, Rozier's attorney, told ESPN on Friday that they deny the new allegations «in the strongest possible way.»

«Terry Rozier is innocent,» Markus