Terry Rozier: 'I'm a strong believer that things will turn around'

The Miami Heat have been in the news cycle with Jimmy Butler trade rumors perpetually notifying people of the ongoing saga between the disgruntled star and the franchise.

Last year, around the NBA trade deadline, the Heat were in the news for another trade that brought guard Terry Rozier from the Hornets, for which they gave up the 2027 first-round pick. Rozier was a starter for Charlotte for four-and-a-half seasons before being moved to the Heat. He had an immediate impact last year, providing them with a steady replacement lead guard for the aged Kyle Lowry.

However, Rozier struggled to begin this season, and as a starter in 21 games so far, he has a true shooting percentage of 47.4 percent. This year, head coach Erik Spoelstra made the move to bring Rozier off the bench for the first time regularly in six seasons. As a reserve, Rozier has averaged 12.1 ppg on 36 percent shooting from three and boasts a better winning percentage than as a starter.

Recently, after a team shootaround, Rozier spoke with HoopsHype opening up about managing his headspace, tuning out outside noise, and maintaining his confidence during a transitional year with Miami.

This year, your play style has shifted – fewer threes, less time at the free-throw line. How has that adjustment been for you?

Terry Rozier: It's been a huge adjustment. Not so much looking at how things turn out, but mainly just because, when we look at last year, I probably got 8-10 ball screens a game. Now I probably don't get more than one to two ball screens. And it's not a knock on anybody. We obviously have players who we're mainly worried about. And we're trying to get active and we're trying to get going. So I'm just trying to find my ways, find my rhythm. And it's been kind of, it's been kind of tough this season. But I think right now where I'm at, my headspace and everything, I kind of know what I want to do and how I can help this team go forward.

Do you think the mental aspect – your headspace – is the most overlooked part of adapting to a new role?

TR: For sure, some people are not gonna say they do, but I think we all do. We're humans, it's part of it. You know, you want the best for yourself. You wanna come out there and show the fans why this trade happened and stuff like that. And, I haven't proven myself this year, but I'm a strong believer in the fact that things will turn around and I know it will.

After years of being ball-dominant with the green light, how has the transition to coming off the bench been for you?

TR: It's been great. It's been great. Just another thing that I have had to overcome. It's a part, it's been part of my life. Just having to adjust to stuff around me. But I have no complaints. I'm blessed. I'm playing, I'm in the NBA, doing what I love, my dream job. I will figure it out and help this team.

You've dealt with being traded and the outside noise from the media before in your career. How have you learned to tune it out and stay focused?

TR: You just don’t give a f**k. I mean, at the end of the day, I was told that you're never gonna be as good as they say you are. You're never gonna be as bad as they say you are. So, you shouldn’t listen to no noise, period. I've been struggling, it ain't no secret. I want myself to play better than anybody does. So, it's just a matter of time. Like I said, I'm a strong believer that things will turn around. The man above, he's already blessed me with everything. So, just keep grinding, keep working at it, and it should turn around.

Why do you think you're struggling this year? Any specific reasons?

TR: I don't have no reason for it, because I feel like I'm complaining. I do feel like this game is beautiful, and I think that whatever it is, I struggle just so when things open back up, it'll make the struggle way more beautiful, and I can appreciate it way more, because I know things are gonna turn.

You play with a lot of energy and passion. How do you stay loose and maintain that off the court during tough stretches?

TR: Same thing with the people who are talking, just not care. Not so much not caring, like the effort, just play free. Just play free. I know what I'm about. I've been in this league 10 years. I'm not worried about what somebody has to say about me, because at the end of the day, I put the work in, I put the time in, and I'm here for a reason. So just keep grinding at it.

How does playing in Miami compare to your past teams and organizations?

TR: It's no different, it's just a different play style, different teams, obviously different organizations. You run stuff from the top to the bottom a little differently, but at the end of the day, it's basketball. So you gotta enjoy it, have fun.

Coming off the bench, do you feel like being a "microwave" scorer lets you play more freely?

TR: I don't know, I don't know. Maybe it's who I'm out there with. (laughs) So, we don't know.

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Terry Rozier: 'I'm a strong believer that things will turn around'