"Pelicans execs Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver gave up a first-round pick in a loaded 2026 draft in order to move up just 10 slots and select Queen at No. 13 this year; they will have to wear that indignity for the rest of their careers. But at least the baby-faced big they overpaid for looks stellar, even as his team toils at the nadir of the Western Conference."
"Queen posted 33 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and four blocks in Monday's 135-132 loss Monday to the San Antonio Spurs, the first in what could be a long procession of triple-doubles. Over the last few weeks, the soft-handed Queen has displayed enough ball skills, vision, and dainty footwork to kick off a lifetime of comparisons to Nikola Jokic. These may grow tiresome, if they are not already."
"Like that great man, Queen has some clear flaws-he is not a center, defensively, not even close-and whether or not he can excel depends on the extent to which those flaws can be covered up by team scheme or hard work. But he's only 20 years old, and his feel for scoring and playmaking is unmistakable. You already see how even someone savvier than Dumars might have detected a potential offensive engine here, and a way forward after the abortive Zion Williamson era."
Pelicans executives Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver surrendered a first-round pick in the loaded 2026 draft to move up 10 slots and select Derik Queen at No. 13, a move widely viewed as an overpay. Queen recorded 33 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and four blocks in a 135-132 loss to the Spurs, signaling the start of potential recurring triple-doubles. The 20-year-old displays soft hands, ball skills, vision, and dainty footwork that invite comparisons to Nikola Jokic. Queen is not a defensive center, but his scoring and playmaking feel are unmistakable. He rallied from four first-half points to outduel counterparts in the second half while exploiting slower bigs.
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