Fansided

2014 NBA Draft: Grading each team’s draft

By Brad Rowland

Jun 26, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; A general view as basketball fans walk past a sculpture before the 2014 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 26, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; A general view as basketball fans walk past a sculpture before the 2014 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jun 26, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Shabazz Napier (Connecticut) shakes hands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number twenty-four overall pick to the Charlotte Hornets in the 2014 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 26, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Shabazz Napier (Connecticut) shakes hands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number twenty-four overall pick to the Charlotte Hornets in the 2014 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

Miami Heat

Don’t be confused by the color of his hat above, former UConn point guard Shabazz Napier is now a member of the Miami Heat. Throughout the process (and even back to the 2014 NCAA Tournament), there had been substantial buzz that Miami was coveting Napier, and when he fell out of the top-20, they were able to package both of their selections (number 26 and number 55) together to move up to Charlotte’s position to take him.

Regardless of what LeBron James thinks about Napier’s game, there is a bit of a worry about his explosiveness at the next level, but when you’re picking up a player who can contribute right away with the 24th pick, it is usually a positive. Shabazz Napier clearly has the most polished game of any point guard in this draft, and with the added motivation of pleasing LeBron, this is a win for Pat Riley and company.

Grade: A-

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