The Phoenix Suns have opened up a roster spot and created a bit of cap flexibility by waiving two young development projects in Nassir Little and E.J. Liddell. With as much financial investment as the Suns have tied up in the dynamic but aging trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, it’s not all that surprising to see them moving on from a pair of youngsters. Especially because they did not project to factor much into the regular season rotation. The Suns are about as all-in as any team in the NBA. As a result, they are always in the market for veteran players, preferably those with playoff experience. This move opens up the possibility of them adding a player matching that description in the near future.
Phoenix Suns Waive Nassir Little and EJ Liddell
Little’s Career so Far
Little and Liddell’s careers have not gone quite according to plan since they were drafted in 2019 and 2022, respectively. Little, was originally the 25th pick of the first round by the Portland Trail Blazers. He was an intriguing prospect coming out of North Carolina, with top-tier athleticism, good size, and a growing perimeter game. Little showed glimpses throughout his first few years in the league of those traits that made him a first-round pick. However, he’s continued to struggle to show any real consistency.
While injuries have played a role in Little’s career, he’s also had lengthy stretches of good health. Furthermore, the necessary growth just hasn’t been there so far. As a member of the Trail Blazers, Little struggled to offer any support to Damian Lillard. Despite Portland being desperate for 3-D type wings, and offering Little ample opportunity to show that he could be a difference maker. Following a trade to the Phoenix Suns at the start of last season, Little once again failed to produce. He fell entirely out of the rotation towards the second half of the season.
Liddell’s Career so Far
Liddell, on the other hand, has had far less opportunity and far more bad luck in the injury department. The Ohio State product was selected with the 41st pick of the 2022 NBA draft by the New Orleans Pelicans. However, Liddell suffered a torn ACL during his first Summer League game. The injury would swiftly bring an end to his rookie year. The following year Liddell struggled to crack the rotation for a competitive Pelicans team that was loaded at his position, with players like Zion Williamson, Larry Nance Jr, and Trey Murphy III. This offseason, Liddell was flipped, along with a collection of other players and picks, for Dejounte Murray of the Atlanta Hawks. Upon arriving in Atlanta, Liddell was once again shipped off to Phoenix in exchange for former first-round pick David Roddy.
The Last Word
The Phoenix Suns moving on from Liddell and Little certainly makes sense for them as a ball club. But make no mistake—some young rebuilding team out there will take a flier on one of them, if not both. Little and Liddell are both still young enough, at 24 and 23 respectively, for a team to buy into their combination of youth and modern-day stretch-four skill sets. The NBA can be a tough place to find stability, especially if health is not on your side. Nevertheless, if these two formerly hot commodities can dial in on both their health and consistency, there may still be an NBA role out there for them.
