Even on a depleted Heat squad, Napier was limited to 51 games, 10 starts, and four games in the D-League. Before the Magic acquired Napier this offseason for a protected second-round pick, his rookie season was cut short by a sports hernia surgery. He ended the year averaging 5.1 points, 2.5 assists, 2.2 rebounds, 0.8 steals, and 0.8 three-pointers in 20 minutes per game. Napier only sank 38 percent of his field goal attempts, but with more than half of them located behind the three-point line, his 36-percent accuracy from long distance compensated for the massive efficiency hit. Four months after surgery, he provided 17.0 points, 4.5 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.3 three-pointers in 23 minutes per game during four summer league matches. The 24-year-old's slight build and diminutive size played a role in his over reliance on perimeter shots and inability to get to the hole. Napier joins a team with Elfrid Payton and C.J. Watson as the primary and secondary point guard, but they also boast a handful of tertiary ballhandlers, namely Victor Oladipo and Evan Fournier. His defensive limitations and the Magic's guard depth may make it difficult for Napier to earn substantial minutes under new coach Scott Skiles.

Napier was drafted by the Hornets with the 24th-overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft but was immediately traded to the Heat. The rookie may have ultimately ended up in Miami to entice LeBron James to stay with the Heat since the King openly remarked his praise for the product of Connecticut. Even with the departure of James, Napier stands a chance to receive time in the backcourt this season behind Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole. The NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament's Most Outstanding Player in 2014 seems to be currently positioned behind the likes of Chalmers and Cole and will have to spend the season proving to head coach Erik Spoelstra that he deserves a spot in the rotation. The aforementioned point guards in front of him aren't necessarily the stiffest competition when you take a look around the league, but Napier struggled in the Las Vegas Summer League, shooting just 27 percent over five games, and now faces an uphill battle for playing time this season. Despite all of this, the 23-year-old was a two-time national champion and willed his UConn team through the NCAA tournament last season. His slow start may be concerning, but he seems to possess the tools that can be refined into a decent NBA player In his rookie campaign.