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The Miami HEAT announced today that they have traded guard Shabazz Napier and cash considerations to the Orlando Magic in exchange for a protected 2016 draft pick.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, “Napier, 24, gives the Magic additional depth at point guard, a position where Elfrid Payton is entrenched as the starter and free-agent signee C.J. Watson will serve as Payton’s backup. Napier also would be able to contribute some scoring off the bench.”
Napier (6’1”, 175, 7/14/91) played in 51 games as a rookie last season, averaging 5.1 ppg. and 2.5 apg. in 19.8 minpg., while shooting 36.4 percent from three-point range. Napier scored in double-figures in six straight games between Nov. 16-25 and notched a career-high 18 points on Feb. 20 at New York. He had a season-best eight assists on Feb. 11 at Cleveland. Napier underwent sports hernia surgery on Apr. 1. He returned to action this summer and scored 14 points and added six assists in Miami’s final game in the Southwest Airlines Orlando Pro Summer League. He also averaged 18 points in 25.0 minpg. over three games during summer league play in Las Vegas.
As a college senior in 2014, Napier, a consensus First Team All-American, led the University of Connecticut to the NCAA Tournament title and was named the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player. He was also part of UConn’s 2011 NCAA Championship team and became the only player in UConn history to total at least 1,500 career points and 500 career assists. Originally selected by Charlotte in the first round (24th overall) of the 2014 NBA Draft, his rights were acquired by Miami on draft night.
More from the Sentinel: “The only way the Heat will get the Magic’s second-round pick in 2016 will be if Orlando finishes with one of the NBA’s five best records during the 2015-16 regular season. In other words, if the Magic’s second-round pick falls anwhere from 31st overall through 55th overall, the Magic would keep the pick.”
