Former KU players Perry Ellis and Wayne Selden waived by NBA teams on Saturday

Former Kansas forward Perry Ellis was waived by the Charlotte Hornets and guard Wayne Selden by the Memphis Grizzlies, the NBA teams announced Saturday.

The two former Jayhawks, who were not selected in the 2016 NBA Draft, were trying to make the 15-man rosters of those particular teams as free agents.

Ellis, a 6-foot-8 native of Wichita, was able to play just four minutes in one preseason game as he rehabbed from Aug. 30 sports hernia surgery. The eighth leading scorer in KU history could ultimately decide to play for the Hornets’ NBA Development League team in Greensboro, N.C., this season. He also could head overseas. The D-League begins play on Nov. 11.

The Hornets also waived guard Rasheed Sulaimon and center Mike Tobey on Saturday.

Selden, a 6-5 guard from Roxbury, Mass., who joined the Grizzlies on Aug. 8, averaged 8.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists while averaging 18.6 minutes in five preseason games. The Grizzlies also waived forwards JaKarr Sampson and D.J. Stephens on Saturday.

Selden also has the overseas option or could wind up with the Grizzlies’ D-League affiliate in Des Moines, Iowa.

Withey on Jazz roster

Former KU center Jeff Withey, who entered Utah Jazz training camp with a non-guaranteed contract, appears to have made the team. The Jazz cut forward Chris Johnson on Saturday, paring the roster to the maximum number of 15 players.

Withey, a 26-year-old fourth-year pro, averaged 4.3 points and 3.4 rebounds a game for the Jazz last season. He started 10 games. He averaged 12.9 minutes a game in 51 contests. Published reports indicate he is expected to earn $1,016,000 this season.

The 7-foot Withey, who played at KU during 2010-13, is the Jayhawks’ all-time shot blocker leader with 311.

Greene to D-League?

Former KU guard Brannen Greene, an undrafted free agent, will enter the NBA Developmental League draft on Oct. 30 and likely play in the D-League this season, according to Chris Reichert of upsidemotor.com.

Robinson trying to make Lakers

Former KU forward Thomas Robinson as of Saturday night was one of three players awaiting word whether he’d made the roster of the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Lakers have 14 guaranteed contracts and reportedly will keep either Robinson, Yi Jianlian or Metta World Peace.

“It’s out of my hands now,” Robinson told the Los Angeles Times. “I feel like I’ve done everything I can to this point to give myself the best shot that I can to make this team. It’s up to the front office now.”

Robinson, 25, has played for five teams in four seasons in the league.

Scott Ward update

Scott Ward, KU’s associate athletic director for academic and career counseling, is “doing great,” his wife, Robin, indicated Saturday on Facebook. She wrote that Ward, who suffered a tear in his aorta on Oct. 7 and had emergency heart surgery at University of Kansas Hospital, could be moved to an inpatient rehab facility as soon as clearance is given by Scott’s cardiologist.

This story was originally published October 22, 2016 at 7:00 PM with the headline "Former KU players Perry Ellis and Wayne Selden waived by NBA teams on Saturday."