UNC Basketball Alumni: Wayne Ellington and Theo Pinson let go by Knicks

Two former UNC basketball standouts are looking for new homes after the New York Knicks made a handful of roster moves this week.

With the NBA offseason officially underway, there have been a ton of roster moves and shakeups. Recently, a handful of former Tar Heels have been involved in these transactions.

Looking to clear up roster space prior to the start of free agency, the New York Knicks announced that they parted ways with six players, including Wayne Ellington and Theo Pinson.

Last offseason, Ellington signed a two-year, $16 million dollar contract with the Knicks. In his only season in New York, the 32-year-old appeared in 36 games, averaging 5.1 points-per-game in a reserve role. Set to make $8 million dollars in 2021, the Knicks elected to waive the veteran guard instead of keeping him on the books for the upcoming season.

Throughout his 11-year NBA career, the former Tar Heel has played for 9 different franchises. This offseason he’ll look to add to this list, as he’ll attempt to find a new home.

After being released by the Brooklyn Nets on June 23, Theo Pinson was claimed a few days later by the New York Knicks. The former Tar Heel never suited up for the Knicks, as they were not one of the teams invited to the NBA Bubble.

Pinson had a $1.7 million dollar team option available, but the Knicks decided to decline that option. The former Tar Heel will have the opportunity to hit the free agent market and look for a team that can offer him a chance to make an impact.

Although they parted ways with two former Tar Heels, the Knicks did bring in another former UNC basketball standout into the mix. The organization acquired Ed Davis from the Utah Jazz to help bolster their front court presence.

If you’re keeping tabs at home, it’s been a pretty busy news week in regards to the UNC basketball alumni who currently play in the NBA.

For starters, Cole Anthony was drafted by the Orlando Magic. We saw sharpshooter Danny Green get traded, not once, but twice. Along with these moves we already discussed, Tony Bradley and Justin Jackson also were traded over the last few days.

Some former UNC basketball standouts have found new homes, while others are still looking for new franchises to represent. With the craziness surrounding the NBA offseason, we still could see some moves surrounding some former Tar Heels over the next few weeks.

As always, continue to follow the Keeping It Heel team, as we’ll update you on the latest news and updates surrounding the UNC basketball alumni and their professional careers.