12 Golden State Warriors that never played a single minute

No. 11: Shabazz Napier

Shabazz Napier had a wild few months in early 2014. First, the point guard led the University of Connecticut to a National Championship, carrying a defensive-minded team through the NCAA Tournament and landing an unlikely title. Three months later, the Miami Heat appeared to have drafted him in the first round as a part of the recruiting pitch for LeBron James to stay with the Heat.

That pitch didn’t work, and Napier lasted just one season in Miami before beginning his trek around the league. He has suited up for six different teams, but he in fact landed on a seventh when he briefly passed through the Golden State organization.

In the summer of 2019, Kevin Durant was heading to the Brooklyn Nets, and Bob Myers and the rest of the Warriors’ front office worked quickly to turn Durant’s departure into a double sign-and-trade. The Dubs brought in D’Angelo Russell to maintain Durant’s salary slot, and as a part of that deal Treveon Graham and Napier went to the Warriors.

The following day, Napier was then flipped in a separate deal to the Minnesota Timberwolves (along with Graham), making his stay in the Bay Area one of the shortest in franchise history. Napier would make it just one more season in the league before his career shifted outside of the NBA.