Report: Heat trying to move up in draft to target LeBron-fave Shabazz Napier
Shabazz Napier's draft stock is on the upswing, and he'll be appearing live for Thursday's event as one of the select few invitees.
The Miami Heat are reportedly looking for a way to move up in the draft to target Napier, who is a favorite of LeBron James. The courtship to keep James in South Florida is beginning after the Heat star's agent confirmed he'd opt out of his contract to become a free agent on July 1.
Chad Ford of ESPN cites a source who believes the package could include one of Miami's point guards:
Heat will try to package No. 26 & Norris Cole to get up in the late teens for Napier.
— Chad Ford (@chadfordinsider) June 25, 2014
Heat president Pat Riley flew to a Napier workout after the NBA Finals and apparently tried to convince the guard to stop his workouts "so that he'd fall to the Heat with pick No. 26."
Ford also points back to James' endorsement of Napier during the NCAA title game in April.
No way u take another PG in the lottery before Napier.
— LeBron James (@KingJames) April 8, 2014
Ford's latest mock has Napier going as high as No. 15, and it's unclear what the Heat could offer beyond Cole, the No. 26 pick and a future first-rounder, and whether that would be enough.