The New Orleans Pelicans find themselves in a unique spot for a team sporting a Western Conference–worst 10–34 record. The Pelicans are the only team with top-10 odds in the lottery that does not have rights to their own first-round pick this season, thanks to the 2025 draft night Derik Queen trade with Atlanta.
Queen has been good this season, but one area where he struggles is rebounding, largely due to his lack of size and average rebounding. If the Pelicans want to maximize Queen's future with the team, they should consider bringing in frontcourt help.
New Orleans should look to acquire a first-round pick as Morez Johnson Jr. looks like he would be a match made in heaven in the Pelicans front court with Queen.
Rebounding is a serious issue
Rebounding isn’t just a concern—it’s a full-blown problem.
This season, the Pelicans are in the top five for most offensive rebounds given up per game, while also being in the bottom five in defensive rebounds per game. While this isn't a problem during rebuilding, it's a trend the franchise needs to put an end to soon before it becomes a habit.
The addition of Johnson Jr. on draft night could instantly solve this problem, as he is a monster rebounder and one of the grittiest players in college basketball. This season, the sophomore is averaging 12.1 rebounds per 40 minutes for the Michigan Wolverines. He also just went toe-to-toe with one of the draft's top rebounders and big prospects, Washington's Hannes Steinbach, as Johnson Jr. recorded 16 rebounds, 5 of which came on the offensive glass.
But Johnson Jr. also brings much more to the table than just straight rebounding, as he is an elite-level rim protector and very solid for a player of his size on the perimeter. This season, he's averaging 1.3 blocks and 0.9 steals per game.
Offensively, he has excellent footwork, is a smart cutter, and his free-throw percentage suggests he could develop into a floor spacer. Johnson Jr. is shooting 81.7 percent from the foul line, which is encouraging, as free-throw shooting is often a good indicator of long-term shooting production.
Johnson Jr.’s 6-foot-9, 255-pound frame, paired with his abilities as a rebounder and defender, reminds me a ton of Isaiah Stewart. Who happens to be someone Pelicans General Manager Troy Weaver traded up to draft back in 2020 during his time with the Pistons.
In FanSided’s recent mock draft, Christopher Kline had Johnson Jr slotted at pick 18 to the Memphis Grizzlies, which is notably higher than his average projection. ESPN, Bleacher Report, and NBA Draft Room all have him slotted in as an early second-round pick. That means if the Pelicans can acquire a pick in the 20–30 range, they could land the perfect player to mask their future face of the franchise, Derik Queen's biggest flaws.
With players like Zion Williamson and Herb Jones potentially being available at the trade deadline or come the offseason, New Orleans could easily acquire a pick in Johnson Jr.'s expected draft range. If the front office is trying to maximize their return on the draft night trade for Queen, pairing him with Morez Johnson Jr. in the frontcourt should be a priority.