The Hornets have dropped a pair of players from their preseason roster, announcing today in a press release that guard Jaylen Barford and forward Isaiah Wilkins have been waived.
Barford, a 6’3″ guard out of Arkansas, went undrafted earlier this year. In his final college season, he averaged 17.9 PPG, 3.9 RPG, and 2.5 APG with a .470/.431/.721 shooting line for the Razorbacks, earning First Team All-SEC honors.
Wilkins, meanwhile, had modest averages of 6.0 PPG, 6.2 RPG, and 1.6 APG during his senior year at Virginia. However, the 6’8″ forward filled up the stat sheet with 1.4 BPG and 1.2 SPG, and was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Wilkins is the stepson of NBA legend Dominique Wilkins.
Wilkins appeared briefly in one preseason game for Charlotte, while Barford didn’t play for the team in the preseason. Both youngsters are good candidates to join the Greensboro Swarm, the Hornets’ G League club, as affiliate players.
After today’s cuts, the Hornets have 17 players under contract, but at least one more roster move will be required before the season begins, since Charlotte has 16 players on standard deals and just one on a two-way contract. The Hornets could convert Joe Chealey or Zach Smith to a two-way deal to get to the regular season roster limit, if they so choose.