Cavaliers waive Kelenna Azubuike

The Cleveland Cavaliers opted to part ways with Kelenna Azubuike, leaving them with 17 players under contract.

The Cavaliers had acquired Azubuike as part of a deal for rookie Tyler Zeller on draft night. The 28-year-old had played in only one of preseason games for the Cavs, scoring six points and grabbing three rebounds.

Azubuike has had a difficult time making his way back to the NBA since tearing his patella tendon in 2009. The promising player, then in his fourth NBA season after going undrafted out of Kentucky, had finally earned a starting role at the time and had signed a three-year, $9 million contract the offseason before. Since, he has only played in one NBA game, last year with the Dallas Mavericks. He played in seven games for the Texas Legends of the D-League last season as well.

Azubuike was not expected to be a major factor in a backcourt with veteran depth in C.J. Miles and Daniel Gibsonbacking up top five picks in Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters.

This story originally appeared at SB Nation.