Before Shams Charania reported that Derik Queen would undergo surgery to repair a torn scapholunate ligament in his left wrist, the rookie big man was receiving a ton of criticism for his poor play in summer league.
Queen faced backlash for his high turnover numbers, leading New Orleans with 5.7 turnovers per game during their time in Vegas. He also caught flak for his play on the defensive end, as Queen often looked awkward and unsure of where to position himself defensively. But the biggest backlash Queen got from members of the media and fans was for his poor hustle and his obvious conditioning issues.
Even though losing Queen likely for the start of preseason and training camp is a tough break, as the Pelicans gave up so much to get him in the first place, it also creates an opportunity. Queen can now work on his conditioning and come into the 2025-26 season in the best shape possible. While his turnovers and defensive lapses are areas he needs to improve, at least during his recovery process, he can focus on getting into NBA-level shape and being ready to play big minutes when healthy.
This injury may end up being a blessing in disguise for the Pelicans
While injuries are always something that should be viewed as a negative, it is important to look on the bright side. Considering the most significant concern surrounding Queen was that he wasn't really in game shape during summer league, this injury now gives him the chance to change that. Over the next 12 weeks, Queen won't be playing basketball, as he'll be focused on getting back to proper health. This gives the Maryland product plenty of time to get into tip-top shape ahead of next season.
Meaning that Queen could enter his rookie year in better shape than he would've been if this injury hadn't happened.
Now, just to be clear, this is no shade to DQ, as his college season ended on March 27th. For over three months, Queen hadn't participated in a full-length high-level game, making his struggles with his conditioning understandable. After almost three and a half months of not playing full-on competitive basketball, your body is going to need an adjustment period. Proving that Queen's struggles with hustling back or showing effort aren't as big a deal as most of us made them to be.
There are plenty of cases in the NBA where you can tell someone is being outright lazy. However, Queen's struggles with conditioning aren't close to that, and I bet by the next time we see him in action, those issues will look a lot less concerning.