A former Ohio State men's basketball star is on the move for the second time in a month.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Atlanta Hawks traded E.J. Liddell to the Phoenix Suns on Friday in exchange for David Roddy. Four weeks earlier, on June 28, Atlanta acquired the 6-foot-6, 240-pound forward and several other players from the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for Dejounte Murray.
Liddell’s stay in Phoenix may not last for long as the Suns are reportedly expected to release Liddell in order to free up a roster spot.
The Suns are likely to release E.J. Liddell in order to free up a roster spot to pursue a point guard in free agency, per @Gambo987 (https://t.co/FwhBnLr9I4).
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) July 27, 2024
Phoenix plans to add another free agent on the veterans minimum after trading David Roddy for Liddell. pic.twitter.com/vqxv54okOD
The Pelicans' second-round pick in 2022, Liddell tore his ACL in the NBA Summer League before his rookie season. This past season, he appeared in eight games for New Orleans, recording four points and five rebounds in 23 minutes. He also appeared in 28 games for the franchise's G-League affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron, and averaged 17.7 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game.
Following his move to the Hawks organization, Liddell played in five summer league games in July, averaging 7.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 18.7 minutes per contest. His best performance was a 22-point effort in Atlanta's 79-76 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Liddell also collected five rebounds and four blocks in the defeat.
Before his NBA career, Liddell played three seasons with Ohio State and averaged 19.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks across 92 games and 61 starts. The Belleville, Illinois, native was a two-time All-Big Ten selection and a one-time All-American in Columbus.
