With the 2022 NBA Draft fast approaching on June 23, most teams in the league are starting to zero in on the prospects they like.
For the last couple of weeks we’ve had the chance to get a small glimpse from guys like AJ Griffin, Johnny Davis, and Malaki Branham. Still, the prospects available to the Cleveland Cavaliers will be determined by who the teams ahead of them select; Cleveland is currently set to draft at #14, in the first round, that is. With so many wings being available, it’s easy to overlook a couple of the best players in college basketball last season.
One prospect who had a great year, and who played his college hoops relatively close to Cleveland, is forward E.J. Liddell from Ohio State. The 6’7″ forward is a bit of a “tweener” in the 2022 draft, with his role in the NBA not really defined. He shot 49% from the field for the Buckeyes while also knocking down 37% of his three-point attempts. He was also a candidate to win the Big Ten Player of the Year, which ended up going to Johnny Davis from Wisconsin.
With the lineups that the Cavs used this past season, there’s reason to believe that Liddell would be a great fit for them at the wing. Cleveland used Lauri Markkanen at the three regularly this season, and they were very effective with that lineup when Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen were healthy alongside Markkanen.
Liddell’s most natural position in the NBA will likely be at the four, but his offensive arsenal has enough firepower to be productive at the three as well.
E.J. Liddell Scouting Report
Height/Weight: 6’7″, 240 LBS
2021-2022 Ohio State Stats: 19.4 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 2.5 APG
3-Point/Field Goal/Free Throw: 49%/37%/77%
When you first watch E.J. Liddell, you can tell that he loves to use his strength in all aspects of his game. His 6’7″, 240-pound frame allows him to hold his own in the low post, while also being very efficient from the perimeter. He isn’t the fastest prospect or the quickest, but in the college game he was one of the most efficient scorers for the Buckeyes. On top of that he’s proven that he can be a good defender, even against taller opponents down low.
The 6’7″ forward averaged over 2.5 blocks this past season for Ohio State. His defensive instincts are great, which allows him to go toe-to-toe with some of the best big men in the country. And in addition to that, he was a good rebounder at Ohio State, averaging nearly eight this past season.
However, as I said he’s not the quickest prospect, so he isn’t as switchable on defense as you would like, so the Cavaliers have to keep that sort of thing in mind.
With that being said, he’s definitely the type of player that would buy into Cleveland head coach J.B. Bickerstaff’s defensive philosophy right off the bat, so that’s a positive element as well.
14 might be too early for the Cavs, but 39 is likely too late for Liddell
Liddell is one of the players that seems to have a wide range where he might be selected. There’s no doubt that he can have a positive impact next year on any team. However, his age (will turn 22 in December) and his position will be talking points as we get closer to the 2022 NBA Draft.
As I said earlier, to likely a lot of scouts and teams, Liddell is really in between positions. He has the height and offensive ability to play the wing, but on the defensive end he might struggle. With that being said, it doesn’t hurt that the Cavaliers have Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley protecting the rim behind them.
The real question the Cavaliers front office will have to weigh if they like Liddell, is where they will draft him. After missing out on the playoffs the Cavs have the last lottery spot, and there are likely too many impressive wing prospects for the Cavs to take with their first pick. But, their next pick is the 39th, and Liddell will likely be long gone at that spot.
If the Cavaliers really like Liddell, and think that he, along with the prospect they pick at 14, can help them get to the playoffs next year, they have the ammunition to trade back up into the first round.
With two second-round draft picks, and potential trade pieces such as Isaac Okoro, Caris LeVert, and even Cedi Osman, it shouldn’t be hard to sell a team like the Miami Heat or the Memphis Grizzlies on veteran help as opposed to drafting a rookie. Personally, I don’t like the idea of giving away assets when the Cavaliers are still very young, but if it can help them become a real threat in the Eastern Conference, it would be hard to pass up.
If the NBA Finals have shown us anything in it’s early stages, it’s that teams can become real contenders while also being “homegrown.” Both the Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors have built their teams through the draft and some small trades.
With a core of Evan Mobley, Darius Garland, and Jarrett Allen, the Wine and Gold are ready to contend next year. EJ Liddell may or may not be a Cavalier in nearly three weeks, but I do believe he will be able to have a good, immediate impact on a good NBA team next year.
But, I will say his Marvel movie rankings list might be a red-flag. Ant-Man and the Wasp was a good movie, but it was not Marvel’s best.
In fairness, Liddell did eventually respond in a tweet that his rankings were based on what he enjoyed the most, not the best movies in the list, per se. Regardless, the list of his preferences was still pretty off the mark, objectively. Come on E.J., be better.