Magic to get Shabazz Napier from Heat, according to sources

The trade between the two Florida clubs will see the Heat reduce their luxury tax bill in the 2015-16 season.

A two-time NCAA Champion during his four-year career at UConn, Napier saw his draft stock rise as he led the Huskies to an improbable national championship in 2014. They did acquire C.J. As a rookie, Napier struggled to find time with the Heat, playing in 51 games and averaging 5.1 points, 2.5 assists and 2.2 rebounds in 19.8 minutes per game. James insisted Miami use its late first round pick on the 6-foot-1 point guard, who ended up being taken No. 24 overall in 2014.

As mentioned before, Napier’s rookie season was not fantastic. The deal, initially reported by Yahoo Sports, is expected to be finalized Monday.

It was James who wanted the Heat to draft Napier last year, but James never played with the point guard from the University of Connecticut.

However, The Miami Herald’s Joseph Goodman says trading Napier makes it appear the Heat could keep Chalmers, who has been the subject of trade talks for weeks.

The next question is whether the Heat are finished with an overhaul at point guard that began with last season’s trade of Norris Cole in a package for Goran Dragic, or whether former starter Mario Chalmers will remain on the trade market. Watson and Tyler Harvey at the guard position in Orlando. Keith Appling was also given a training camp deal not too long ago, so Napier will have a long way to go if he wants to carve out a spot in the Magic’s rotation.