After a bold trade, the New Orleans Pelicans sent the No. 23 overall pick and an unprotected 2026 first-round pick (the more favorable of New Orleans and Milwaukee) to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for the No. 13 pick, which they used to select Maryland center Derik Queen.
This move not only gave the Hawks a major trade chip if Giannis Antetokounmpo is ever made available, but it also opened the door for Atlanta to select Asa Newell at No. 23, which is an outcome that should sting for Pelicans fans.
It’s hard to view this as anything but a nightmare for New Orleans. Newell, Newell has elite defensive versatility, and was exactly the type of presence the Pelicans needed in the frontcourt. Newell would've brought length at 6'9" barefoot with a 6'11" wingspan, athleticism, and switchability to the Pelicans big man rotation.
Instead, the Pelicans walked away with Queen, who in my opinion is the worst defensive big in this years class.
The impact of this pick goes beyond defense
Outside of being an awful defensive fit compared to Newell, Queen is also a clunky offensive fit. Queen is a ball-dominant, post-oriented big who needs touches to be effective, whether as a passer or scorer. On the other hand, Newell is a low-usage play finisher who has flashed potential as a floor spacer and typically only operates near the basket when rebounding or finishing plays.
This makes Newell's move to the Hawks even more painful. Queen will likely struggle to fit with Zion Williamson, as both players thrive in the same low-post areas and require touches in similar spots to be successful.
The Pelicans entered tonight's draft with two primary needs: rim protection and perimeter defense. Instead, they left with a shot-creating guard who is undersized and can't defend in Jeremiah Fears at No. 7 and Derik Queen, a slow-footed big who struggles defensively and shows little potential as a rim protector at the NBA level at No. 13.
Meanwhile, they traded away not just an extremely valuable trade chip in their 2026 pick swap with the Milwaukee Bucks, but also passed on the chance to land an ideal fit with this team in Asa Newell, who could've come in and been a defensive stopper and culture setter for New Orleans.
At the end of Night One, the Pelicans have more questions than ever, and on Night Two, they’ll have just one shot to patch things up with the No. 40 pick. Yikes.