The Minnesota Timberwolves have confirmed that they have bought out the contract of forward Anthony Bennett, leaving him a free agent.
The 22-year-old was selected with the first overall pick in the 2013 Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, but joined the Timberwolves in a three-team trade before the start of the last campaign.
However, Bennett struggled to make an impact at the club, leading Minnesota to buy out his contract worth $3.6m (£2.3m).
"In speaking with Anthony and his representatives over the past few days, we came to the conclusion that this was the best outcome for both parties," Timberwolves general manager Milt Newton said in a statement.
"When you look at our team, our deepest position is probably power forward. This move balances out our roster while also allowing Anthony another opportunity in the NBA.
"He has a lot of talent and his play this summer internationally [for Team Canada in the FIBA Americas tournament] made this a difficult decision for us."
Bennett has averaged 4.7 points per game in 103 matches in his career.
Simon Sinclair
