Scarlet Sunrise: New Orleans Pelicans trade E.J. Liddell to Atlanta Hawks
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New Orleans Pelicans trade E.J. Liddell to Atlanta Hawks
E.J. Liddell is on his way to Atlanta. The former Ohio State star forward, who began his NBA career with the New Orleans Pelicans, is part of a three-player and two-pick deal with the Hawks to acquire one-time All-Star guard Dejounte Murray.
The Pelicans are sending over Liddell, fellow forward Larry Nance Jr., guard Dyson Daniels, a 2025 first-round pick and a 2027 first-round pick. In return, they get Murray, a 27-year-old backcourt standout who averaged a career-high 22.5 points per game and made a career-best 201 triples in 2023-24, as reported by ESPN’s Andrew Lopez.
New Orleans selected Liddell No. 41 overall in the 2022 NBA Draft and signed him to a three-year, $6.2 million deal last summer. Before that, he was on a two-way contract with the team while recovering from an ACL tear he suffered in Summer League. That season-ending injury delayed his rookie season a year.
He finally got on the court last season but wasn’t part of the Pelicans’ rotation. The 6-foot-6, 240-pound Liddell appeared in only eight games and averaged just 2.9 minutes, 0.5 points and 0.6 rebounds per contest.
He did, however, start 18 of the 26 G League games he played in for the Birmingham Squadron. He averaged 17.7 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game in those appearances.
Liddell will now compete for an NBA roster spot in Atlanta.
Liddell averaged 19.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game in 2021-22, his third and final year at Ohio State. He, notably, took a big step from beyond the arc that season, shooting 37.4% (46-of-123) from long range and, ultimately, earning first-team All-Big Ten and third-team All-American honors.
He was the leading scorer on a Buckeyes team that finished sixth in the Big Ten regular season table but bowed out to Villanova in the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 32.
OHSBCA Midwest Live Preview: Several Ohio State targets set to play in Sandusky
This weekend marks the second scholastic live period of the college basketball recruiting calendar. That means that, Friday through Sunday, the Buckeyes basketball staff’s out and about evaluating and recruiting talent. More specifically, head coach Jake Diebler, associate head coach Joel Justus and assistant coaches Jamall Walker and Talor Battle will hit the road.
Their efforts will be focused on the OHSBCA Midwest Live event in Sandusky, Ohio.
Lettermen Row compiled a list of the top targets the Ohio Stat coaches are likely to watch this weekend and will be at Midwest Live on Saturday.
Get that primer here.
Lettermen Row Recruiting Notebook: Recapping recent Ohio State basketball recruiting activity
Ohio State head coach Jake Diebler and his staff hosted a two-day high school camp in June, had several top 2025 and 2026 targets on campus throughout the month, hit the trail for the first scholastic live period of the summer and then even began the process of penciling official visits for the fall.
Lettermen Row has been keeping track of the Buckeyes’ recruiting activity and now has it all in one place.
For a look inside at the top 2025 and 2026 targets who visited, a recap of the first scholastic live period and a preview of some fall official visits that are already on the table, head on over here.
Four-star defensive tackle Trajen Odom commits to Ohio State
Four-star Matthews (N.C.) Weddington defensive lineman Trajen Odom committed to Ohio State Friday. Odom is the No. 13 D-Lineman in the 2025 class, according to the On3.
The 6-foot-4, 285-pound North Carolina native picked Ohio State over the likes of Oregon, USC and UCLA, among other schools.
He’s the fourth defensive lineman to pledge to the Buckeyes this cycle. Odom joins a trio of EDGE prospects: Zion Grady — who committed on Monday — Zahir Mathis and London Merritt.
For more details on Odom’s commitment, go here.
RELATED
- What commitment of Trajen Odom means for Ohio State
- Who’s Next? Predicting next five potential Ohio State commitments
Counting Down
Buckeyes vs. Akron: 63 days
Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 154 days
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