MIAMI – Before the Miami Heat host the Toronto Raptors in their final NBA Cup group play game, head coach Erik Spoelstra spoke about the new role for star guard Terry Rozier. During the Heat's brutal loss to the Milwaukee Bucks last Tuesday, Rozier made his debut coming off the bench rather than being with the rest of the starting lineup.

The Heat traded Kyle Lowry’s sizable $29.7 million expiring contract and a first-round pick to the Hornets to land Rozier midway through last season. With that move, the Heat traded any salary cap flexibility it was on track to have in free agency last summer with the vision of Rozier stepping in as its starting point guard.

It could be viewed as somewhat of an odd way to sow belief. “We want to feed him confidence, allow him to be who he is,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of Terry Rozier’s new role