The Pelicans, as currently constructed, have a roster that looks directionless, blending players in the midst of or entering their prime with emerging young talent whose roles often overlap.
The most obvious overlap on the roster is Zion Williamson and Derik Queen, as they share similar scoring profiles and have the same defensive deficiencies. Given New Orleans finished with a 26-56 record this regular season, the next move to many outsiders looking in was to enter a rebuild centered around DQ and end the Zion era.
While that is a valid thought process, Joe Dumars has no plans for that, as he made it clear he expects to have Zion back in a Pelicans uniform next season. Doubling down on the fact that he wants to see Queen and Zion grow together.
This may confuse some, but anyone who kept up with the Pelicans throughout their 82-game journey is well aware this decision is likely for the best. Yes, Queen had his fair share of great moments, and he flashed All-Star potential. However, for each positive fans saw it felt as if there were two negatives waiting on the other side. Because of that, the Pelicans were forced to remain committed to Zion once again, as Queen didn't show enough to warrant a new direction.
It’s not Queen’s time yet
In no way am I trying to come down on DQ or his rookie season. I said that I viewed Queen as a project prospect from the first day the Pelicans drafted him, and that he was going to need serious time to develop into an All-Star-level player. When you're a finesse-driven, point-center type of big man like Queen, getting acclimated and comfortable against NBA defenses is going to be tricky and take time to figure out.
Of any two positions, the two with the toughest transition from college to the NBA are point guard and center. It's even harder when you're a talent like Queen that gets tasked with guard-like responsibilities on offense and still has to be a steady paint presence.
That’s what made his rookie season so impressive. Among rookies, he ranked 10th in points, 2nd in rebounds, and 6th in assists per game, exceeding all my preseason expectations.
While he looked a lot further along than I initially expected, fans have to understand that the Pelicans' ownership group wants a winning product on the floor. And Queen is simply not close enough to being the type of player that can lead New Orleans to that goal. Sure, I'd agree that pulling the plug on this core and going full rebuild mode could be very beneficial long term. But neither the front office nor ownership is focused on the future—they are focused on the now.
Entering a rebuild and blowing up this roster would set New Orleans up for at least another three years of losing basketball. Considering the Pelicans have a roster that should not be far off from getting back into the postseason mix in 2026-27, the decision to stay the course was easy.
The only scenario in which the Pelicans would have ended the Zion era was if they had a crystal-clear future centered around Derik Queen, and right now, they simply don’t. DQ’s future is extremely bright with New Orleans, but it’s still not his time, and it’s for the best that the front office has acknowledged that.
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