Yahoo Sports senior NBA reports Vincent Goodwill is joined by NBA on TNT reporter Jared Greenberg to break down the New Orleans Pelicans’ shocking draft night decision—trading away a 2026 unprotected first-round pick to acquire Derik Queen at No. 13
Video Transcript
I’m very curious, Jared, what you thought of the New Orleans Pelicans and their night trading away a 2026 unprotected draft pick.
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What did you make of the New Orleans Pelicans night?
This was Lukaanic level bad.
Oh, this was malpractice.
Oh.
How good does Derek Queen have to be to even begin to scratch the surface of justifying what you just did?
In what basketball world does Derek Queen and Zion Williamson play on the same team?
I will say this.
If you are a firm believer in Derrek Queen and as a, as an executive for another team told me last night, either he’s going to be a beast or he’s going to be overseas because he doesn’t get it.
That is an ultimate boom or bust and when you are a team like the Pelicans, maybe this was a calculated risk for them considering the fact that you have Zion Williamson, who you can’t trust yet.
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If at all, yet, can’t trust them at all.
Listen, I’m not crushing Derek Queen.
I’m just saying, in every scenario, like if we did one of those like computer simulator things where they put up 1000 different outcomes, in all 1000 outcomes, the Pelicans are not making the playoffs.
It 1000 for 1000.
They are not making the playoffs next year.
With Zion, if they trade Zion, they are not a playoff team.
They are going to need that pick next year.
So in order to justify not having their first round lottery pick, Derek Queen needs to be a Hall of Famer next year.
Like, Atlanta wouldn’t have done this deal if it was top 3 or top 5 protected.
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You’re just saying you didn’t give yourself any sort of Protection on any, any pillow on this.
Maybe they just that’s the issue.
That’s like New Orleans is not making the playoffs next year.
It is a combination of the West being an absolute monster.
And the Pelicans roster being an absolute dumpster fire.
Those two things don’t mesh, and you now have said, our ability, our best ability to add talent.
In the future, is gone.
Your belief that you told us last night if you’re in New Orleans is that Derek Queen is going to be a freaking Hall of Famer in this league.
And he better be, he better be.
