The beat up New Orleans Pelicans announced the release of guard Jimmer Fredette on Thursday, just nine days after signing him under the NBA's hardship exception.

The 26-year-old appeared in four games for the Pelicans, scoring two points. Injuries to the team's backcourt forced them to bring Fredette back on a non-guaranteed deal under the league's hardship rule - which allows teams to add a 16th player to the roster if four players are injured or sick.

Fredette played 50 games for New Orleans last season.

Fredette's storied college career as a lights-out shooter at BYU encouraged the Milwaukee Bucks to draft him 10th overall in 2011 and trade him to the Sacramento Kings. He's never found a consistent NBA role, however, thanks in part to a reported reputation of stubbornness as a player.

The Pelicans are 1-11 going into the weekend and suited up only nine players in Wednesday's loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.