2018 NBA free agency grades: Shabazz Napier joins the Nets

Shabazz Napier returns to his Northeast roots by signing with the Brooklyn Nets. Here’s an early look at the deal and a final grade.

The Brooklyn Nets and scrappy guard Shabazz Napier look to turn a corner in the 2018-19 season. At least, that’s what it looks like as both sides have come to an agreement on a two-year deal, according to ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski. Napier will join his fourth NBA squad as he enters his fifth season in the league.

He’s come a long way since being taken 24th overall by the Miami Heat in the 2014 NBA Draft. The year prior, he won a national title with the UCONN Huskies and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament. He averaged 18.0 points, 5.9 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game for the Huskies as he led them all the way to a championship.

Since then, he struggled a bit to find his footing in the league. He was drafted by the Heat, where he averaged 5.1 points, 2.5 assists and 2.2 rebounds per game through 51 appearances as a rookie. The following offseason, he was traded to the Orlando Magic for a 2016 second round pick in July 2015.

After averaging 3.7 points and 1.8 assists per game in 55 appearances off the bench, he was traded once again in July 2016 to the Portland Trail Blazers, where’s he spent the past two seasons.

Shabazz Napier trades one strong backcourt in the West for an up-and-coming backcourt in the East with the Nets. D’Angelo Russell and Spencer Dinwiddie are no Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum though, and that’s where Napier comes in.

Changing of the guard

Napier averaged a career-high 8.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.1 steals per game with the Trail Blazers in 2017-18. He was a solid reserve option behind the tandem of Lillard and McCollum. His contributions should be felt a whole lot more in Brooklyn.

Through 74 appearances, Napier shot 42 percent from the field and 37.6 percent from 3-point land, also career-highs. In nine starts, he averaged 16.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.8 steals per contest.

Napier is beginning to come into his own as he approaches 27 years of age. He joins a guard rotation that addresses its lack of depth with the departures of Isaiah Whitehead and Jeremy Lin. He’s a solid combo guard to have and has shown upside this past season with Portland.

As Spencer Dinwiddie approaches unrestricted free agency this offseason, Napier isn’t a bad alternative to have either. Dinwiddie is due to make roughly $1.6 million in 2018-19 despite averaging 12.6 points, 6.6 assists and 3.2 rebounds last season, finishing third in voting for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award. Another big season could raise his asking price in 2019 free agency and make Brooklyn have to pay big for him. A trade could be on the horizon.

Another concern for the Brooklyn Nets should be the health of D’Angelo Russell. He appeared in just 48 contests last season while dealing with a knee injury. Russell averaged 15.5 points, 5.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds on 32.4 percent shooting from 3-point range when healthy, but if he remains injury-prone, plugging in Napier could be best.

The signing of Shabazz Napier will be something to keep a close eye on in Brooklyn. He has an opportunity to emerge as a solid combo guard in their rotation should things go well.

Next: 2018 NBA free agency tracker: Grades for every deal so far

Grade: B