Pelicans-DeRozan Trade: How NO Could’ve Won Now

The High-Stakes Gamble: Untangling the Pelicans’ Queen Trade

The arrival of Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver as the Pelicans’ front office leaders in April signaled a new era. By June, they’d made a bold move, mortgaging future assets for the opportunity to draft Queen. The Pelicans didn’t simply move up in the draft; they engaged in a complex series of transactions, ultimately trading multiple future picks to secure the No. 13 overall selection in a draft widely considered to be exceptionally deep.

The initial catalyst for the trade was a rare deal struck during the 2025 NBA Finals, with the Indiana Pacers – then battling for a championship – willing to part with their 2026 first-round pick. Indiana had originally acquired that pick from Toronto in exchange for Pascal Siakam, who was then flipped to New Orleans for Brandon Ingram. The specifics of the initial trade were as follows:

Pelicans Receive: No. 23 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft

Pacers Receive: New Orleans’ 2026 unprotected first-round pick

The timing of the trade was particularly noteworthy. The Pacers, facing a 3-2 deficit in the Finals, were thrown into disarray when Tyrese Haliburton suffered a devastating Achilles tendon tear during Game 7. This injury dramatically altered their trajectory, opening the door for a potential tanking scenario – a reality that ultimately unfolded.

For New Orleans, the initial goal was to acquire another lottery pick in the 2025 draft. After selecting Oklahoma point guard Jeremiah Fears at No. 7, the Pelicans actively sought to trade their unprotected first-rounder to move up. The Atlanta Hawks ultimately accepted the offer, securing the No. 13 pick – the slot used to select Derik Queen – in exchange for the Pelicans’ 2026 first-round pick and the No. 23 pick, which Atlanta used to draft Asa Newell.

Dumars revealed that the Pelicans had extended the same offer to several other teams, including the Toronto Raptors, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, and Chicago Bulls, before finding a willing partner in Atlanta.

Troy Weaver’s known preference for players from the DMV (District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia) area made Queen, a Baltimore native and Maryland Terrapins standout, a natural target. Queen’s early success has validated Weaver’s belief, positioning him as a potential cornerstone for the Pelicans’ future. However, the escalating value of the assets surrendered continues to raise questions about the long-term implications of the trade.

Currently, the Pelicans hold the second-worst record in the NBA (6-22), while the Pacers are fifth-worst (6-21). New Orleans could have potentially drafted Fears and retained two high lottery picks in the loaded 2026 draft, with prospects like Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and A.J. Dybatnsa at the top of the board.

The exact value of the surrendered assets remains uncertain, but projections suggest New Orleans’ own pick has a maximum 14% chance of landing at No. 1 overall, with the Pacers’ pick not far behind. While the process surrounding the trade was questionable, there’s still a path to success for New Orleans, albeit a narrow one.

Was there a more prudent approach to acquiring Queen? Many analysts believe so.

A 2027 Pick Could Have Been the Answer

The 2026 draft was widely touted as a generational class, featuring potential superstars in Peterson, Boozer, and Dybantsa. Even with Queen on the roster, the Pelicans were projected to remain near the bottom of the Western Conference, alongside the Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns. While the Suns have exceeded expectations, their playoff positioning doesn’t negate the inherent risk of the Pelicans’ gamble, especially considering Zion Williamson’s ongoing availability issues and the team’s overall youth.

If the Pelicans were determined to acquire Queen, offering their unprotected 2027 first-round pick would have been a more strategic move. This would have allowed Queen and Fears two seasons to develop before relinquishing a valuable asset. The Pelicans and Hawks are already linked through the Dejounte Murray trade, with New Orleans potentially receiving the more favorable of their own 2027 pick and the Milwaukee Bucks’ 2027 pick, while Atlanta would receive the less favorable pick, protected for selections 1-4. New Orleans could have offered Atlanta full control of the better pick, eliminating the protections.

Why would this have been preferable? Draft scouts widely agree that the 2027 draft currently lacks the star power of the 2026 class. Securing a consensus No. 1 overall pick in 2027 is far from guaranteed. While prospects like Dylan Mingo, Tyran Stokes, Cameron Williams, Arafan Diane, J.J Andrews, Caleb Holt, and Bruce Branch Jr. show promise, they don’t possess the same level of potential as Peterson, Boozer, and Dybantsa.

Hope for a Lower Pick in 2026

While the prospects following the top three in the 2026 draft – Caleb Wilson, Jayden Quaintance, Kingston Flemings, and Koa Peat – are intriguing, a significant drop-off in talent exists after the third pick. Our latest 2026 NBA mock draft provides a detailed look at the projected draft order and player rankings.

If the Hawks secure the No. 4 or No. 5 pick in the lottery, there’s a reasonable chance Queen will outperform the player selected in that range. While it’s likely someone drafted after No. 3 will eventually prove to be a better player than Queen in the long run, avoiding a top-three pick would significantly mitigate the damage of the trade.

Queen’s Potential and Defensive Concerns

Derik Queen is a captivating player due to his distinct strengths and weaknesses:

• He’s an exceptional driver for his size (6’9”, 250 pounds), possessing guard-like ball-handling skills and the ability to create scoring opportunities for himself and others. His strength allows him to absorb contact, and he shoots 80% from the free-throw line.
• Queen is already a 78th percentile isolation scorer, averaging 1.07 points per possession with a 60.4% true shooting percentage.
• His passing ability was underrated coming into the draft and is already proving to be a valuable asset.
• Queen is undersized for a center and lacks the speed typically associated with NBA power forwards.
• Defense is a significant concern. He’s not a rim protector, and his defensive numbers are currently subpar.
• Queen is not yet a three-point threat, shooting just 2-of-18 from beyond the arc in his first 26 games.

I ranked Queen No. 11 on my final 2025 big board due to concerns about his lack of versatility as a potential No. 3, No-D prospect. He needed a team that would allow him to handle the ball and create his own shots, and the Pelicans have provided that opportunity, particularly with Zion Williamson’s continued injury struggles. He’s already demonstrating the potential to be a dominant offensive force.

EPM currently rates Queen as a 50th percentile offensive player and a fifth percentile defender. He’s also relatively old for a one-and-done rookie, nearing his 21st birthday.

Queen’s defensive improvement will be crucial to his long-term success. He’s shown flashes of potential, utilizing his quick hands to generate steals and deflections. Here are his defensive numbers from NBARAPM, which offer some encouragement despite the overall defensive impact captured in EPM.

However, his defensive scalability on a winning team remains a question mark. Playing alongside Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III provides an ideal defensive fit, and lineups featuring all three have shown positive results.

The Pelicans made the right call believing in Queen’s talent, but the process was flawed. In five years, the consensus might be that the trade wasn’t as bad as it appears. That outcome hinges on Queen continuing to excel offensively, demonstrating some defensive improvement, and the Hawks landing outside the top three in the 2026 draft.

The Pelicans should have traded their 2027 pick instead of 2026. For now, New Orleans can only hope for the best from Atlanta in the lottery and continued growth from Queen.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Derik Queen Trade

• What was the primary asset the Pelicans traded for Derik Queen? The Pelicans traded their unprotected 2026 first-round draft pick to the Atlanta Hawks, after initially acquiring the pick from the Indiana Pacers.
• Why was the 2026 NBA Draft considered so valuable? The 2026 draft class was projected to be exceptionally strong, featuring potential superstars like Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and A.J. Dybatnsa.
• Could the Pelicans have gotten Derik Queen without giving up their 2026 pick? Many analysts believe the Pelicans could have offered their unprotected 2027 first-round pick instead, as the 2027 draft is currently considered weaker.
• What are Derik Queen’s biggest strengths as a rookie? Queen excels as a driver, isolation scorer, and passer, showcasing impressive offensive skills for his size.
• What are the biggest concerns surrounding Derik Queen’s development? Queen’s defensive abilities and lack of a consistent three-point shot are areas of concern that he will need to address to reach his full potential.
• How did the Indiana Pacers benefit from this trade? The Pacers acquired a valuable first-round pick, which could become a cornerstone for their future rebuild, especially given Tyrese Haliburton’s injury.