During the 2025 NBA draft, the Atlanta Hawks and New Orleans Pelicans completed a trade that sent pick No. 13 (Derik Queen) to New Orleans in exchange for pick No. 23 (Asa Newell) and a 2026 unprotected pick swap between New Orleans and Milwaukee.
Joe Dumars was already being scrutinized for this deal due to the value of the 2026 first-round pick. However, this deal now looks even worse, as Derik Queen has continued to perform poorly in summer league, while Asa Newell, whom the Hawks acquired at No. 23, has looked like a future star. Newell was one of my personal dream fits with the Pelicans on draft night, but I didn't expect him to look this good this early.
Instead of Newell, New Orleans ended up with Queen, who has had his fair share of early struggles in the summer league. He's averaging 12.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 4.5 turnovers per game. These numbers aren't awful at face value, but when you consider that he's shooting just 42.55% from the field and is 7th in turnovers per game, it reiterates how poor Queen's play has been.
Newell, on the other hand, has been a force on both ends starting with his offense, he's averaging 13.3 points and 8.3 rebounds. However, the impressive thing from Newell so far has been his shooting, he is shooting 50% from three right now on four attempts a game. The lefty's biggest question mark after being drafted was whether he could be an effective shooter, and he's proving he can.
Defensively, he has been as advertised. Newell has been able to guard all positions, switching onto smaller guys as well as stunning bigs at the rim. His defensive ability is yet another way he has separated himself from Queen.
Newell is the inverse of Queen
Newell is essentially the exact opposite of Queen; he plays with discipline, shoots efficiently, and defends at a high level. Queen, on the other hand, has struggled with turnovers, has been a liability defensively, and has been great at finishing plays. All three of these issues are ones that aren't easy to fix at the next level.
Trading an unprotected first-round pick for a player with Queen's flaws was already viewed as a risky overpay on draft night. Now, with him underwhelming and Newell thriving, that only makes the gamble Joe Dumars made look worse. The Derik Queen draft night trade may go down as one of the worst trades not just in Pelicans history but NBA history.
The Pelicans have made a series of questionable moves under Dumars, but this one is shaping up to be his biggest mistake. If Newell continues down the path he is on right now and that 2026 pick lands high, Pelicans fans may never forgive Dumars.
Game by game, the gap between what is and what could've been only gets larger and more painful for Pelicans fans.