New Orleans Pelicans rookie big man Derik Queen has had a solid rookie season. In the 60+ games he's played this season, he's shown great downhill scoring instincts, good footwork, a soft touch around the rim, and the ability to be the vehicle the Pelicans can drive their offense through. While many often point to the defensive end as Queen's most crucial area for improvement, it's clear there's a different area of his game that, if unlocked, will take him to the next level. His shooting.
As much as improving the defensive and rebounding side of things will help Queen become a more well-rounded player this season, spacing the floor is what can make him an All-Star-level talent.
Becoming respectable from three is the next step for DQ
As I mentioned, Queen is the type of player that the Pelicans one day hope to be able to run their offense through because of his elite playmaking instincts at his size. When you look at someone like Nikola Jokic, who is the focal point of the Nuggets' offense, what really helped him become such a deadly passer was when teams had to start respecting his outside shot. The more Jokic has gotten into his career, the more his passing numbers have jumped, and that's because teams can't leave him open anywhere.
Right now, Queen is limited offensively as a playmaker because, when he's looking to initiate from the point of attack (top of the three-point arc), opposing teams give him 10 feet of space because they don't respect his jumper. The key for DQ isn't to become some 39+ percent knockdown shooter, but just to become respected as a spacer—be someone teams have to play tighter from the perimeter.
Thankfully for Pelicans fans, it appears he's on his way there. Since moving to a bench role where he shares the floor far less with Zion Williamson, he has started to take more threes. Queen even attempted three threes against the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night.
This willingness to let his shot fly when opposing teams give him a ton of space is an encouraging sign. It's even more encouraging when paired with his 75-plus free-throw percentage and his already solid jump shot mechanics.
Although people mostly point to his defense and rebounding as the two biggest areas for Queen to improve, those are both things that will look better when he is playing the power forward spot, rather than at center. If New Orleans wants to maximize DQ long-term, helping him develop his jump shot is an obvious next step—not only will it make him hard to guard offensively, but it will also help offset some of his defensive issues.