Breaking: State Buckeyes Has Loosed Another Top Rated Player From The Squad

The Atlanta Hawks traded E.J. Liddell to the Phoenix Suns on Friday, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The 6-foot-6, 240-pound big and a few other players were acquired by Atlanta from the New Orleans Pelicans four weeks prior, on June 28, in exchange for Dejounte Murray.

Liddell, the 2022 second-round selection of the Pelicans, had an ACL tear in the NBA Summer League prior to his rookie campaign. He played in eight games for New Orleans during the previous campaign, scoring four points and pulling down five rebounds in 23 minutes. He also played in 28 games with the Birmingham Squadron, the team’s G-League club, where he averaged 17.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per contest.

After joining the Hawks, Liddell participated in five summer league games in July, averaging 18.7 minutes per game, 7.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks. His 22-point effort in Atlanta’s 79-76 defeat to the San Antonio Spurs was his finest game. In the loss, Liddell also pulled down five rebounds and four blocks.

Liddell spent three seasons with Ohio State before entering the NBA, averaging 19.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks in 92 games with 61 starts. The product of Belleville, Illinois, was chosen twice for the Big Ten team and once for the Columbus All-American team.