As the 2025-26 season unfolds, Derik Queen finds himself under an unfair cloud of criticism, mainly due to the hefty price the New Orleans Pelicans paid to draft him. This scrutiny, however, hasn't deterred him. In his recent performances, Queen has showcased flashes of brilliance that are beginning to silence his critics. With each game, he proves that he has the potential to rise above the expectations placed upon him.
Tuesday night against the Charlotte Hornets, he absolutely stuffed the stat sheet with 12 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists in just 18 minutes. Queen also had a stretch in the 4th quarter where he single-handedly put the team on his back. Defensively, Queen was excellent, recording four steals, one of which was the game-winning steal while the Hornets were inbounding.
Coming out of college, Queen was described as a do-it-all big man who could both be a threat in the pick-and-roll and initiate the team offense. These skills have translated perfectly to the league and have been key in the two big performances he’s had this season. Against both the Hornets on Tuesday and the Spurs in the team's home opener, he effectively utilized his versatility and unique skill set to exploit opposing defenses.
Defense was always a big question mark surrounding DQ, but to this point, he has excelled on that end of the floor. He’s done a great job at getting contests at the rim and fighting for defensive rebounds on the glass.
The NBA media must start doing better when talking about young talent
I understand Queen may never outplay the price that the Pelicans paid to draft him, and that’s fine. But that doesn’t give critics across the NBA media the right to solely evaluate him based on the price tag. I’m growing tired of hearing every positive remark about him accompanied by comments like, "But will he ever be better than Cam Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, or Darryn Peterson?" (projected top three picks in the 2026 class).
What the front office did this summer and what Queen is doing right now are two separate things. And it should be evaluated that way. You can’t attach Queen’s name for the rest of his career to that 2026 first-round pick, even if the guy that’s drafted with that pick is a future Hall of Famer.
Queen has been so good, and when he plays well, good things have happened for the Pelicans this season. Yet nowhere in the media are you hearing about how his game is translating to the pro level better than anyone could’ve expected. Instead, all i'm hearing is the same thing i've heard since the 2025 NBA draft, which is that the Pelicans overpaid for him.
Do better.