In simple terms, the 2025–26 season hasn’t been kind to the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Pelicans exit the All-Star break with a 15–41 record, a front office showing no willingness to shake things up, no first-round pick in a loaded 2026 draft class, uncertainty over the team’s head coach next season, and a poorly managed long-term cap sheet.
Another struggling team is the Atlanta Hawks, who hold a 26–30 record, placing them in the play-in tournament as the 10th seed. They also traded away their former franchise player, Trae Young, for pennies on the dollar and exit the All-Star break with a bottom-10 offense.
However, unlike New Orleans, Atlanta has a major silver lining that makes their current position easier for fans to stomach.
Not to bring up bad memories for Pelicans fans, but during the 2025 NBA Draft, New Orleans traded their 2026 first-round pick to the Hawks in a package for Derik Queen. As of right now, that pick is projected to be the No. 3 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
With this draft class being highlighted as generational and featuring five to six players who would have gone No. 1 in previous drafts, Atlanta is well-positioned this offseason. Factor in Jalen Johnson, who just made his first All-Star game, averaging 23.3 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game, and it's clear the Hawks could build a perennial title contender this offseason thanks to the Pelicans.
The Pelicans' decision shaped Atlanta's future
It’s rare to see a team trade away its franchise player, Trae Young, and still be on a trajectory to bounce back as quickly as Atlanta. Not only do the Hawks already have their next franchise leader in Johnson, who, at 24, is one of the league's most complete wings, but they also have the chance to pair him with a top-three player in a draft class that has franchise-altering talent scattered in the top six.
Even if the Hawks miss out on players like Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, or even Caleb Wilson, widely considered the four biggest prizes, they still have the chance to draft a projected multi-time All-Star in either Kingston Flemings or Keaton Wagler.
Both Wagler (Illinois) and Flemings (Houston) are the conductors of top offenses in college basketball, with Illinois ranked No. 1 in offensive efficiency according to teamrankings.com. Both players have had their fair share of standout performances, including each going for 40+ points on the same day against ranked opponents.
So, as other teams in the Eastern Conference look over at Atlanta and see a potential long-term contender being built, they can call Troy Weaver and Joe Dumars and thank them.
For Pelicans fans, they should be excited about the future with their two bright rookies in Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen, who put on a show during the Rising Stars game. Still, it's worth noting that the trade-off for those two was missing out on multiple potential generational players this offseason.