The third time's the charm ... hopefully.
Former Ohio State forward E.J. Liddell has signed with the Chicago Bulls, according to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto.
The Chicago Bulls have agreed to a deal with EJ Liddell, league sources told @hoopshype. Liddell, an Illinois native, played for the New Orleans Pelicans last season and was the No. 41 overall pick of the 2022 NBA Draft. pic.twitter.com/NmFyy6sTZA
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) September 7, 2024
It's the third time Liddell has changed NBA teams this summer, as he was traded from the New Orleans Pelicans to the Atlanta Hawks in the Dejounte Murray deal, then to the Phoenix Suns four weeks later before he was released to free up a roster spot. Less than two months later, it seems as though Liddell has finally found his new home, at least to begin the 2024-25 season.
A second-round pick by the Pelicans in the 2022 NBA draft, the 6-foot-6, 240-pounder tore his ACL in the NBA Summer League before his rookie season. After missing all of the 2022-23 season, Liddell appeared in eight games for New Orleans in 2023-24, 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.
Liddell played in five Summer League games with the Hawks in July, averaging 7.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 18.7 minutes per game, including 22 points, five rebounds and four blocks against the San Antonio Spurs.
Liddell played three seasons at Ohio State, averaging 14.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists and shooting 48% from the field and 34.1% from beyond the arc in 26.4 minutes per game (62 games, 61 starts). In his third season in Columbus, he averaged 19.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game in a first-team All-Big Ten and third-team All-American junior campaign before he departed for the NBA.
