Orlando Magic Acquire Shabazz Napier From Miami Heat

By  //  July 30, 2015

Orlando Magic News
In a move that should greatly bolster the team’s depth at point guard and its shooting on the wings, the Orlando Magic have acquired versatile guard Shabazz Napier from the Miami Heat. (Orlando Magic Image)

ORLANDO, FLORIDA -– In a move that should greatly bolster the team’s depth at point guard and its shooting on the wings, the Orlando Magic have acquired versatile guard Shabazz Napier from the Miami Heat.

The trade for Napier, 24, cost the Magic only a protected second-round draft pick and Orlando also received cash considerations, GM Rob Hennigan announced.

The Heat were in a position of needing to trim salary because of luxury tax concerns and the Magic were the beneficiary by acquiring the former Most Outstanding Player of the 2014 NCAA National Championship Game.

Napier, who is 6-foot-1 and 175 pounds, can play both point guard and shooting guard because of his ball-handling and shooting abilities.

He should provide depth at both guard spots behind starters Elfrid Payton and Victor Oladipo. Orlando also signed free-agent guard C.J. Watson this offseason to provide depth at the guard slots.

Napier’s rookie season with the Heat had mixed results. He averaged 5.1 points and 2.5 assists in 51 games and his season ended prematurely when he needed surgery on April 1 to repair a sports hernia.

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He shot just 38.2 percent from the field, but was solid from the 3-point line at 36.4 percent His best run as a pro came from Nov. 16 through Nov. 25 when he scored in double figures in six straight games.

He had games in February and March where he scored 18 and 16 points and made four 3-pointers in each of those games.