Shabazz Napier
After just one season with the Heat, Shabazz Napier has been traded to the Magic for a second-round pick, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
Napier, a Roxbury native who was a first-round selection in 2014 after leading UConn to a national championship, was said to be the preferred choice of LeBron James come draft time in July 2014. However, with James departed for the Cavaliers, the Heat made the trade in order to clear $1.3 million in cap space and to gain roster flexibility.
In Orlando, Napier likely sits as a third option at point guard behind sophomore Elfrid Payton and veteran C.J. Watson. Last year, he averaged 5.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 19.8 minutes per game for the Heat.
The Cavaliers made a crucial move Sunday by sending Brendan Haywood, Mike Miller and two second-round picks to the Trail Blazers for two trade exceptions worth $10.52 million and $2.85 million, according to to Wojnarowski.
Haywood’s contract would have become guaranteed on Aug. 1, so the Cavs needed to make a move with it by then. The trade exception they gained by moving his contract is the largest in the NBA. Last season the Cavs used a trade exception to acquire Timofey Mozgov from the Nuggets.
Though Miller is one of James’ closest friends, the Cavs made the move to trade him in order to save roughly $10 million between salary and luxury tax deductions. James was upset in 2013 when the Heat traded Miller for financial reasons, however a source close to James described trading Miller as “the right thing to do” in order to give him career options as he nears retirement.
The Blazers can take on the contracts of Haywood and Miller because they have $25 million in cap space after the departures of LaMarcus Aldridge, Nicholas Batum and Wesley Matthews. They most definitely will waive Haywood in order to reap the benefits of his $10 million non-guaranteed contract, and it is also presumed they will do the same with Miller. If Miller is released, the Cavaliers will not be able to re-sign him for at least one year.
