The New Orleans Pelicans head into their matchup tonight with the Charlotte Hornets winless, which has left fans feeling hopeless.
With this season already looking like a wash, as the playoffs seem out of reach and Willie Green is unlikely to be fired, they must find some way to get butts in seats and keep fans engaged. My fix for that would be to start Derik Queen.
Through his first six games, DQ has averaged 7.3 points and 4.4 rebounds while shooting 44.1 percent from the field. These aren't starter-calibre numbers, but that is because Queen has seen a limited amount of minutes since the return of Yves Missi and Kevon Looney.
In his one game where he logged over 30 minutes, Queen was unreal, finishing the night with 15 points, six rebounds, one assist, one steal, and two blocks. In this game, he was also tasked with being Victor Wembanyama's primary defender, which was something he excelled at.
With the Pelicans' season already looking like a lost one and the trade for Queen being the reason they no longer own their own first-round pick, what sense does it make to let him rot on the bench? They need to start him and accelerate his development so they can avoid repeating this same disaster next season. Just look at what fellow rookie Jeremiah Fears has done since being named a starter. Over his last two starts, he's averaging 17 points per game, seven assists, and shooting 48.5 percent from the field.
Starting Fears has allowed him to spread his wings and get more reps in high-pressure situations. Starting him has also generated positive chatter among fans, as they are incredibly excited about his future with the team and view him as a bright spot during this rough start. So why wouldn't head coach Willie Green do the same thing with Derik Queen?
Unfortunately Green doesn't appear to have DQ starting in his plans
Yesterday, following practice, Willie Green was asked about playing Derik Queen more minutes. His response was the opposite of what any Pelicans fan wanted to hear.
“Well we got Kevon back, Just not enough minutes at the 5 spot right now,”said Green.
I don't understand the thought process from Green, even if you don't plan on starting Queen, he can still come off the bench and play the four. He's not pigeon-holed to being a center in all of his minutes. The main reason Joe Dumars drafted Queen was his versatility and ability to fit into multiple different roles on the court.
This quote highlights an unwillingness to adapt and try new things, which is a trait that every head coach in the NBA needs to possess. Green doesn't try to be unique or a trend setter, and that's reflected in his rotations and overall coaching.
So even though starting Derik Queen may be what the Pelicans need to do and may help the franchise long-term, it's clear that it won't happen under Willie Green.