The Tasmania JackJumpers have parted ways with import Craig Sword, the team announced on Saturday.
The move comes amid the JackJumpers' five-game winning streak, with the team -- now with an 8-8 record -- eyeing an improvement to their roster as we pass the halfway point of the 2024-25 NBL season.
The team is understood to have finalised a deal with a new import, and are expected to make a further announcement in the coming days.
Sword, 30, averaged 5.8 points and 2.1 rebounds over 14 regular season games with the JackJumpers.
"We're grateful for Craig's contributions to the team during his time with us," JackJumpers head coach Scott Roth said.
"These decisions are never easy, but we believe this move is in the best interest of the organisation. We wish him nothing but success in his next chapter."
The 6'3 wing was originally signed as a complementary-type player, with the assumption Jack McVeigh would be on the roster for this season. Once McVeigh earned a two-way contract with the Houston Rockets, the JackJumpers' need from that import spot changed and potentially moving on from Sword became a possibility.
The JackJumpers -- who are the defending NBL champions -- had been exploring this move since as early as October, sources told ESPN, with an eye toward remedying the offensive issues they began the season with.
The team started the season 3-8, but have since won five straight games. In those contests, the JackJumpers have an offensive rating that sits slightly above the league average over that stretch of games, bolstered by the return of guard Sean Macdonald amid a favourable part of their schedule.
The JackJumpers' next game is against Melbourne United on Monday, December 23.