After the absolute misery and toil of the 2024-25 NBA season, the New Orleans Pelicans and their fans were desperately awaiting the draft to hopefully inject the franchise with a new sense of life and excitement. Despite their 21-61 record, the fourth-worst finish in the league, they tumbled down the board in the lottery, coming away with just the seventh pick. Still, with such a loaded, top-heavy class, there was plenty of hope that the Pelicans could still nab a franchise cornerstone.
Well, the draft has come and gone, and the dust has settled on what turned out to be a whirlwind of drama, intrigue, and shock. One thing's for sure: New Orleans' new president of basketball operations, Joe Dumars, has a plan in mind, and he's willing to take risks in order to enact his vision. Here's what he and the Pelicans did in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Joe Dumars and the Pelicans came out aggressive in the 2025 NBA Draft
1. Pick 7: Jeremiah Fears, G, Oklahoma Sooners
This 2025 rookie class had several blue-chip prospects at the top of the board that could go on to make All-NBA teams one day. While Duke's Cooper Flagg and Rutgers' Dylan Harper were the two "sure things," several other players have nearly the same lofty ceilings, if not higher.
At seven, the Pelicans may have *just* missed out on that top crop. With Fears, the Pelicans may have gotten the player with the most potential left on the board, aside from maybe some of the crazier swings, like the Portland Trail Blazers' 16th-overall pick, Hansen Yang.
Fears should be a couple of things that New Orleans hasn't really had in a long time: a true point guard and a consistent source of rim pressure outside of Zion Williamson. There are concerns with his size and outside shooting touch, but his form looks good and his effort and athleticism may be enough to compensate for his stature. While I would've preferred for Joe Dumars to use his aggression to move up into the top six here to guarantee the Pelicans one of Ace Bailey, V.J. Edgecombe, Kon Knueppel, or Tre Johnson, he came away with good value at seven with Fears.
Grade: B+
2. Pick 13: Derik Queen, F/C, Maryland Terrapins
Like with Fears, the Pelicans clearly had upside in mind when they traded up with the Atlanta Hawks to grab Derik Queen. He was by far the best creator left on the board and has the highest likelihood of becoming a star in the NBA of anyone who was available at 13.
In terms of roster fit and price paid, though, this was a questionable decision from Dumars. To land the pick to select Queen, New Orleans traded away the 23rd pick (Asa Newell out of Georgia) and their 2026 unprotected first-round pick, along with the swap rights with the Milwaukee Bucks.
I'm not going to penalize Joe for believing in himself and his team next season. However, that trade was also a bet that the Milwaukee Bucks won't end up with great lottery odds next year, with Damian Lillard out with an Achilles tear and a severely lackluster supporting cast around Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Queen was a fine target overall, although his defensive concerns and lack of outside shooting make him quite redundant with Zion Williamson. It's impossible to deny that Dumars and the Pelicans overpaid to get 13, though.
Grade: C
3. Pick 40: Micah Peavy, G/F, Georgetown Hoyas
The reasoning here was solid. With the 40th-overall pick, grabbing a 3-and-D wing with NBA size, experience, a relentless motor, and a 40 percent mark from 3-point land should be a slam dunk. However, this selection wasn't without its warts.
For starters, Micah Peavy may have cashed in on 40 percent of his 4.1 triples per game for the Georgetown Hoyas in his super senior season last year, but that was his first campaign with a good outside mark. The rest of his collegiate career saw him hit just 27 percent on 180 tries from beyond the arc.
Secondly, there was still a lot of talent left on the board when New Orleans picked Peavy. Personally, I would have preferred Tyrese Proctor, Maxime Raynaud, Rocco Zikarsky, Alex Toohey, or Koby Brea, as did a lot of mocks and big boards.
If Peavy turns out to be a 40 percent sniper at the next level, along with his physical profile, defensive instincts, and enviable effort, he should be a long-time pro. That's a big "if," though, and there's a strong chance that one of the five players I named earlier will end up having a better NBA career.
Grade: C+