Report: Keon Ellis ‘impressed’ while E.J. Liddell looked ‘NBA-ready’ during workouts with Cavs

The Cleveland Cavaliers continue to get looks at different prospects ahead of the 2022 NBA Draft.

University of Alabama guard Keon Ellis reportedly impressed the Cavs on Wednesday. In addition, the Cavs reportedly think that Ohio State University forward E.J. Liddell looks NBA-ready.

“As I’ve reported in the past, the Cavaliers are fans of both [Malaki] Branham and Liddell,” Right Down Euclid’s Evan Dammarell wrote. “In fact, league sources say that both Buckeyes were in attendance at Cleveland Clinic Courts on Wednesday alongside LSU’s Tari Eason, Alabama’s Keon Ellis and G League Ignite product MarJon Beauchamp for pre-draft workouts. Those same sources say that Ellis impressed while Eason struggled and that Liddell looked as NBA-ready as he did coming out of Ohio State.”

It will be interesting to see which direction the Cavs go in the 2022 NBA Draft, but both Ellis and Liddell are solid prospects.

In the 2021-22 season at Alabama, Ellis averaged 12.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game while shooting 43.9 percent from the field and 36.6 percent from beyond the arc. He is a bigger guard (listed at 6-foot-6) and would likely fit well alongside Darius Garland.

As for Liddell, the Ohio State product is coming off of an extremely productive collegiate career. The 2021-22 season was by far Liddell’s best for the Buckeyes, as he averaged 19.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 49.0 percent from the field and 37.4 percent from 3-point range.

Liddell can really space the floor at the forward position, which may be something the Cavs value.

Cleveland is hoping to find an impact player in the 2022 NBA Draft after narrowly missing the playoffs in the 2021-22 season.