With NBA free agency still going on and the Summer League done it is nice to see that there is still more news for ex Tar Heels when it comes to the pro’s. The next former North Carolina Basketball player that has been in the news is Wayne Ellington, who was the Most Outstanding Player in the `09 Final Four as Carolina won its second national title under head coach Roy Williams. The 6’4″/200 lbs shooting guard then headed to the next level as the 28th pick in the NBA Draft, where he has played his three season as a Minnesota Timberwolf.
“Wayne has had success in the past as a long-distance shooter. We’re moving someone we like for someone with a skill we need. … This deal is important for us because we get three-point shooting but we don’t have to go out and sign an additional player.”
Minny it’s been real.. Memphis wasup?!
— Wayne Ellington (@WayneElli22) July 24, 2012
Now Ellington, who has scored an average of 6.5 points in 18.7 minutes per games in 189 match ups that he has played in, is headed to the Memphis Grizzlies in a trade. In his career, which he has only started 13 games in all, the shooting guard has averaged a 41.2% from the field and 37.6% from beyond the arc. With Ellington and Dante Cunningham having about the same contract numbers this trade was done virtually without a hitch. And I guess this should be a good deal for all involved, be it the players or the franchises.
Having followed Ellington since the high school years I think that a new home might be just right for him. There is no doubt that the shooting guard can hit his shoots, he just needs a place where they need him to do just that, Memphis could definitely be that place. The great thing about sports is that sooner or later we will know if deals/moves were the right ones or not. As I do with all the present and former North Carolina Basketball and/or Football players let me be the first to wish all the best to Wayne Ellington as he begins with a new franchise. And as always, when it comes to UNC make sure to come back often to isportsweb for the latest information.