MIAMI POST — It was the most dramatic draft night for the Heat in more than a decade, and ultimately they got the player they appeared to covet all along.

Their hope of taking Connecticut point guard Shabazz Napier at No. 26 seemed to blow up Thursday night when Charlotte chose him two slots ahead of them, but Miami immediately traded for Napier by giving up its first-round spot, its second-round pick (No. 55) and an unspecified future second-round selection.

Napier is the most highly thought-of talent drafted by the Heat since they took Michael Beasley at No. 2 in 2008. Draft night tends to be fairly quiet in Miami, where the team did not draft higher than 27th in any of the past five years. The last time it was this exciting and unpredictable was when they drafted Dwyane Wade fifth in 2003.

Among other qualities Napier brings, he makes LeBron James happy, and that is worth as much as anything to the Heat at the moment. James, who opted out of his contract this week, was enthralled by Napier during the recent NCAA tournament and tweeted, “My favorite player in the draft!” Napier was a four-year player and won two championships. He is 6-foot, 175 pounds and was projected to go as high as No. 15 in mock drafts.

“I’m going to compete my tail off, like I always do,” he said on ESPN’s broadcast. “And I always have a chip on my shoulder. That’s what makes me the best point guard in the draft.”

ESPN reported this week that the Heat were trying to trade backup point guard Norris Cole to move up high enough to take Napier, but did not need to do so. It now appears likely they will go into next season with those two at point guard, which would mean they are moving on from former starter Mario Chalmers.

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