The Miami Heat are rumored to be targeting former UConn point guard Shabazz Napier as part of their aim to lure LeBron James back to South Beach.
ESPN reported the Heat are feverishly attempting to move up in Thursday's NBA draft so they might have the chance to land the former UConn star. Both James and the Heat are known to be high on Napier, who led the Huskies to an improbable NCAA title run less than three months ago.
"No way u take a PG in the lottery before Napier," ESPN reported James tweeted in the midst of last April's title game between the Huskies and Kentucky. The website added days later Heat president Pat Riley flew out to work out Napier and was so impressed he tried to talk the senior guard into not working out for any other teams based on his promise Miami would tab him with its No. 26 overall pick.
With Napier now rumored to be one of the hottest prospects in the draft, Miami knows he almost certainly won't be available to them that late in the draft and thus are putting on all out blitz to move up. Reportedly, teams as high as Orlando at No. 12 have recently expressed an interest in Napier, along with the Hawks, Bulls, and Celtics, all of whom have picks in the middle of the first round.
James announced earlier this week he plans to opt out of his deal with the Heat and officially become a free agent on July 1. The Heat and Pat Riley have since indicated they plan to do all they can to keep him and his Big 3 running mates of Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami.
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