After a season full of scrutiny and being the butt of several jokes, the New Orleans Pelicans fan base finally has closure on exactly what was given up for Derik Queen just a year ago. If you need a reminder during the 2025 NBA Draft, the Pelicans gave up the rights to their 2026 first-round pick, along with pick No. 23 (Asa Newell), in exchange for the No. 13 pick so they could select Derik Queen.
That first-round pick was used Tuesday night by the Hawks, who selected Houston guard Kingston Flemings at No. 8. While the process of making a deal like this may still irk fans, a year removed and with the full details being Flemings and Newell for Queen, this trade doesn’t look so bad.
The Derik Queen trade a year later
The moment this deal happened, Joe Dumars, Troy Weaver, and the entire Pelicans front office were under fire. Coming off a 21-win season, the idea of trading your pick unprotected the following year for a project big man prospect was ridiculous. The criticism only got harsher as New Orleans jumped out to a 2-10 start and fired its head coach. At points in the season, it looked like this pick would convey into a top-3 selection. Thankfully for Pelicans fans, the team started to figure things out and finished the year as the 11th seed in the West, giving Atlanta the No. 8 pick.
Now, don’t get me wrong, the value on paper and the process don’t change anything and may only further validate the initial reaction this trade got during the 2025 NBA Draft. However, there are a few things worth considering now that we know who the Hawks took at No. 8.
Let's say that deal never happens, Dumars still takes Jeremiah Fears at No. 7, but there’s no trade with the Hawks, and the Pelicans enter the 2026 draft with No. 8. Who are the Pelicans taking? They can’t take Flemings because that would create a super-undersized backcourt with him and Fears. Maybe they take one of Aday Mara, Morez Johnson Jr., or Brayden Burries, but even then, they wouldn’t be getting the best player available in Flemings because of fit.
Instead, they used the No. 13 pick to land the top guy on their board in Derik Queen. By drafting Queen, they also drafted someone who fit alongside their other lottery selection in Fears, seamlessly forming a strong guard-big tandem for years to come.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a massive Kingston Flemings fan and believe he has the chance to be the best guard in this 2026 class. However, Derik Queen also possesses All-Star upside, and when paired with Fears, gives the Pelicans a young guard-big duo with a clear long-term plan. 10 years down the line, fans may feel different, but for now, the Pelicans should be able to walk away feeling pretty good about the DQ trade a year later.
