The 2025 offseason for the New Orleans Pelicans will be remembered mainly 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 Maryland big man.
This move was heavily questioned when it happened and continues to be 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 totally understandable, especially given how college basketball and draft experts have described this 2026 draft class, with some even calling it generational.
However, for any Pelicans fans worried about missing out on one of the 2026 class top prospects, Queen gave a message post-game that should reassure you that everything will be alright.
"Someone said that next class is gonna be better than us or that's the best class. We're definitely the best class. Up and down the charts we're gonna be the best class. We have the better players."Derik Queen post game Monday night
These comments from Queen came following the Pelicans' 135-132 loss to the San Antonio Spurs Monday night, where he became the first rookie center in 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 through 25 games isn't normal
I'm a pretty big college basketball guy and someone who loves evaluating prospects, and I may be wrong, but I haven't seen any big man in the following two draft classes who is capable of these types of performances. What makes DQ so unique is that when he starts getting into a flow scoring-wise, you can't begin to double-team him, because if you do, he is a smart and capable enough passer to punish you by finding the open man. This is exactly what he did against San Antonio and has done multiple times this season.
Queen has often drawn comparisons to players like Nikola Jokić and Alperen Şengün because he shares a similar skill set as a center who can operate as a hub offensively. The difference is that both Jokić and Şengün didn’t have as smooth a transition to the NBA and weren't nearly as impactful as a rookie as Queen is.
It's been overlooked because of the draft night trade, but I'm telling you it’s not normal that Queen is averaging 12.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game.
While the draft-night trade made by Joe Dumars left a sour taste in the mouths of many fans, Derik Queen is continuing to reassure them through both his on-court play and comments to the media that the front office made the right call.