The 2025 offseason for the New Orleans Pelicans will be remembered mostly for the draft night deal that acquired Derik Queen. And that’s not because of Queen’s talent as a prospect, but rather because the front office took a gamble and gave up their unprotected 2026 first-round pick for the big man from Maryland.
This move was heavily questioned when it happened and is still being questioned even 25 games into the season. The main reason is that the Pelicans currently sit in last place in the Western Conference with a 3–22 record. This is completely understandable, especially considering how college basketball and draft experts have described this 2026 draft class, with some even calling it generational.
For any Pelicans fans worried about missing out on one of the top prospects of 2026, Queen provided a message after the game that should reassure you that everything will be fine.
“Someone said the next league will be better than us, or this is the best league. We are definitely the best league. Up and down the charts we will be the best league. We have the better players.”
Derik Queen post-match Monday night
These comments from Queen came after the Pelicans’ 135-132 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night, where he became the league’s first rookie center. NBA history to record a 30-point triple-double. He dominated every facet of the game, finishing with 33 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and four blocks. Oh, and he also shot an incredibly efficient 71.3 percent from the field.
What Queen has done in 25 games is not normal
I’m a pretty big college basketball player and someone who likes to evaluate prospects, and maybe I’m wrong, but I haven’t seen any big man in the next two draft classes capable of this type of performance. What makes DQ so unique is that when he starts to get into a flow scoring-wise, you can’t start double-teaming him because if you do, he’s a smart and capable passer to punish you by finding the open man. This is exactly what he did against San Antonio and has done several times this season.
Queen has often drawn comparisons to the likes of Nikola Jokić and Alperen Şengün, as he shares similar skills as a center who can operate as a hub in attack. The difference is that both Jokić and Şengün haven’t had as smooth a transition to the NBA and haven’t been nearly as impactful as a rookie like Queen.
It’s been overlooked because of the night trade, but I’m telling you it’s not normal for Queen to average 12.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game.
While the overnight trade of Joe Dumars left a sour taste in the mouths of many fans, Derik Queen continues to reassure them through both his play on the field and his comments to the media that the front office made the right decision.
#Derik #Queens #comments #reassure #fans #Pelicans #choice