PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns signed forward/center Eric Moreland.
A 6-10, 240-pound post player, Moreland has played in 78 games over three NBA seasons with Sacramento and Detroit. With the Pistons last season, Moreland appeared in a career-high 67 games and made the first three starts of his career, averaging 2.1 points and 4.1 rebounds in 12.0 minutes per game. In the season finale at Chicago on April 11, Moreland recorded career highs of 16 points, 17 rebounds, four blocks and four steals in addition to four assists; he joined Andre Drummond as the only players in the NBA last season with a performance of at least four each of blocks, steals and assists.
Recently, Moreland played in two games for USA Basketball’s World Cup Qualifying team coached by Jeff Van Gundy. Moreland had 10 points, 13 rebounds, three blocks and three steals for the U.S. in a 78-70 win over Uruguay on Dec. 2 and posted two points and eight rebounds in an 81-63 loss to Argentina on Nov. 29. He spent training camp with Toronto prior to this season.
Moreland began his NBA career with the Kings, appearing in three games as a rookie in 2014-15 and eight games in 2015-16. He played the 2016-17 season with the Canton Charge of the NBA G League, earning All-NBA G League Third Team and NBA G League All-Defensive Team honors in addition to being a 2017 NBA G League All-Star. Moreland averaged 12.8 points on 56.1 percent shooting plus 12.2 rebounds and 2.7 blocks in 44 games with Canton. He also appeared in 12 G League games with the Reno Bighorns over the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons while on assignment from Sacramento.
The 26-year-old went undrafted in 2014 following a four-year career at Oregon State University. Moreland finished his career as the Beavers’ all-time leader in blocked shots (184) and blocked shots per game (2.07) while ranking fifth in rebounds (762) and sixth in rebounding average (8.6 per game). His hometown is Houston, Texas.
Moreland will wear uniform No. 23. The team’s roster currently stands at 16 players.
