Former Tar Heels on the move in NBA

Several former UNC men’s basketball players have signed contracts or are looking for new teams in the National Basketball Association.

Danny Green (2005-2009) 

2014-15 Team: San Antonio Spurs 

Signed with: San Antonio Spurs, four years, $45 million 

From playing 207 combined minutes over his first two seasons to winning an NBA Championship to becoming one of the Spurs key players, Danny Green has experienced quite the ride during his six year career. After spending just one season with the team that drafted him, the Cleveland Cavaliers, Green was waived by the team after his rookie year, and was subsequently picked up by the Spurs, waived six days later. After a two month stint in the NBA D-League, in March, 2011 Green signed with San Antonio once again. Since that time, Green has become the team's starting shooting guard, set an NBA Finals series record for 3-pointers with 27 in 2013, won an NBA Championship in 2014 and set the Spurs single-season record for 3-pointers with 191 in 2015. 

Ed Davis (2008-2010) 

2014-15 Team: Los Angeles Lakers 

Signed with: Portland Trail Blazers, three years, $20 million 

Like Green, Davis' NBA career up to his recent signing with the Portland Trail Blazers has been anything but conventional. After winning an NCAA championship as a freshman with North Carolina in 2009 and playing sparingly in his sophomore season due to a broken wrist, Davis was selected as the 13th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors. Davis spent some time in the D-League during his first season before ever playing in an NBA game. After a year-and-a-half stint with Toronto, Davis spent time with the Memphis Grizzlies. Davis signed on with the Lakers in the summer of 2014, and experienced his best season as a pro in 2014-15, averaging points and 7.6 rebounds per game. 

Wayne Ellington (2006-09) 

2014-15 Team: Los Angeles Lakers 

Signed with: Currently unsigned 

Yet another member of the 2009 NCAA Championship team for UNC, Ellington is currently without a team for the upcoming season. Ellington was drafted 28th overall in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves, and has spent the last six seasons with five different teams. After averaging just over six points per game in each of his three seasons with Minnesota, Ellington was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in the summer of 2012. Over the next two seasons, Ellington spent time with the Grizzlies, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Dallas Mavericks. After signing on with the Lakers in September 2014, Ellington went on the average a career-high 10 points per game in 65 games. While he has yet to sign with a team, the Lakers have told Ellington that they would like to keep him for the upcoming season. 

Brandan Wright (2006-2007) 

2014-15 Team: Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns 

Signed with: Memphis Grizzlies, three years, $18 million 

After spending the 2014-15 season as a member of three different teams, Wright will look to find consistency with a new deal with the Memphis Grizzlies. Wright was drafted 8th overall in the 2007 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, but was traded to the Golden State Warriors before the night was over. Wright spent over three seasons with the Warriors, the third of which he sat out after undergoing shoulder surgery. After spending the 2010-11 season with the Warriors and the New Jersey Nets, Wright signed a deal with the Dallas Mavericks, where he would remain until December 2014. In a three week span from December to January, Wright was traded to the Boston Celtics and then to the Phoenix Suns. In 75 games during the 2014-15 season, Wright averaged 7.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. 

Tyler Hansbrough (2005-2009) 

2014-15 Team: Toronto Raptors 

Signed with: Currently unsigned 

North Carolina men's basketball's all time leader in points is currently looking for a new deal. After spending the first six seasons of his career with the Indiana Pacers and the Toronto Raptors, Hansbrough has found himself on the open market for the second time in his career. Drafted 13th overall to the Pacers in the 2009 NBA Draft, Hansbrough jumped into the NBA looking to earn some of the success he saw in college. Hansbrough's played in just 29 games his rookie year while dealing with vertigo. In his second year with the team, the forward averaged 11.0 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. Since the 2010-11 season, Hansbrough was traded to the Raptors, and has seen his minutes and production steadily decline. During the 2014-15 season, Hansbrough averaged 3.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 14.3 minutes per game. 

Ty Lawson (2006-2009) 

2014-15 Team: Denver Nuggets 

Currently: Still with Denver, reportedly on trading block 

Unlike the previous five players mentioned, Lawson was not set to become a free agent after the 2014-15 season. Rather, the 27-year-old point guard has been rumored to be several teams' radars, and could be playing with a new squad during the upcoming season. Drafted 18th overall to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2009 NBA Draft, Lawson has arguably experienced the most sustained success of his former teammates at UNC. Lawson has spent each of his six seasons in the league with Denver, averaging 14.2 points and 6.6 assists per game for his career. During the 2013-14 season, Lawson led the Nuggets in points, assists and steals per game. In 2014-15, he averaged 15.2 points and a career-high 9.6 assists per game. Lawson has been seen as a possible target for the Sacramento Kings or the Dallas Mavericks.