The New Orleans Pelicans have a Derik Queen problem, and after their 128-118 preseason loss to the Miami Heat, it’s time I address it.
When DQ was drafted at No. 13, I wasn’t a fan of the move, not just because of the valuable assets New Orleans gave up to get him, but because I didn’t buy him as a prospect. Queen was a damn fun college player, but questions about his size, rebounding, athleticism, ability to space the floor, and defense had me out on him. That being said, I believed that with time, the right situation, and development, DQ could be a really effective player and even an offensive-hub big.
It may be bold before his sophomore season even starts to say I’m out on him, but with the current construction of the Pelicans, I am out.
The Pelicans can’t heavily feature DQ and win games
Joe Dumars and his staff have been preaching the message that this team wants to win games next season and compete for a playoff berth; they can’t do that with DQ.
Queen is far from a winning basketball player at the NBA level, and it's understandable to try to force him into lineups because he needs reps for his development. But the team can’t expect to win games while also helping him develop.
His defense, decision-making, discipline on both ends, and inability to be effective without the ball make him the exact opposite of everything a successful role player is in the modern NBA. It'd be one thing if this team was prioritizing a youth movement, because then DQ could make way more mistakes and play a bigger role. But they aren’t, and having a player with those deficiencies as your backup center doesn’t contribute to winning.
He had five turnovers in eight first-half minutes on Thursday night, all of which were very clearly his fault. Whether he was trying to spin to the rim and throwing the ball away, losing his handle, throwing a bad pass, or getting called for a foul, he turned it over in basically every imaginable way. On defense, he looked lost and got put in the blender regardless of the matchup, not to mention his affinity for complaining about calls on both ends.
Those aren’t NBA habits.
The cherry on top, he once again went to social media to throw shade at Pelicans fans for voicing their concern and frustration with his play. Maybe instead of being reactionary, he could just let his game do the talking? Just a thought.
By Oct 21st all you Pels fans will never remember this day. Stay over there! Trust & believe. It’s preseason for a reason.
— derik queen (@derikqueen1) October 9, 2026
Maybe when you are part of three of the Pelicans’ five worst two-man lineups last season, according to Databallr, the criticism is warranted?
I understand that in his rookie year, the Pelicans didn’t really have a culture or real principles to work and play by. But this isn’t the time for him to learn those lessons on the court while this group is trying to string together consistent wins, because his actions and play still sabotage that. It’s like DQ doesn’t understand he isn’t the star of this team, at least not yet. Jeremiah Fears grasped that concept really early, and maybe it’s time DQ follows the lead of his fellow 2025-26 rookie.
With Karlo Matkovic continuing to prove he's a quality backup big who stretches the floor, finishes plays, and defends the rim, why are we still forcing DQ minutes? Obviously, it’s the preseason, and he is going to play, but by opening night, Queen needs to be the third big in the rotation.
I still think Derik Queen can be a great player in this league, but he needs to become aware that if he wants to play and help this team win now, he has to buy into being a role player.
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