New Orleans Pélicans The recruit Derik Queen fell into the NBA Summer season League in Las Vegas with a hand damage. It could quickly have been recognized with a scapholunate ligament torn within the left wrist, bringing it out for the approaching months after surgical procedure in July.
The operation was to stop Queen outdoors for a minimum of 12 weeks earlier than reassembling, which implies that the beginning of the season will in all probability miss.
5 weeks from the season, the Pélicans chief of basketball operations Joe Dumars supplied an replace on Queen when he was in problem within the pre-season match between the Denver Broncos and New Orleans.
“The queen is ok,” stated Dumars. “They practice him so much. As I stated to him:” You will have a hand scenario right here, however that does not cease your legs. “So he runs, quick, run … I would like you to be in an unimaginable match once you return, or you’ll be behind.”
“The queen is ok. They practice her so much. As I informed her, you might have a hand scenario right here, however it does not cease your legs. So he runs, runs, flows. I would like you to be unimaginable once you come again or you’ll be behind”
– Joe Dumars on Derick Queen pic.twitter.com/qdnmyjw0xk
– Pelicans film room (@PelsfilmRoom) August 23, 2025
Queen solely appeared in three video games in Las Vegas earlier than taking place together with his damage, however he has a median of 14 PPG and 11 RPG in his quick keep. The disturbing half was his 5.7 reversals per sport, a really excessive quantity for any participant, even much less a publish participant.
There have been questions concerning the query of whether or not the Pélicans drafter may make them move from Yves Missi, who had a promising recruit season a 12 months in the past, however these are two very totally different gamers, and they might higher develop the 2 younger Bigs.
New Orleans took the fears of Jeremiah with their first alternative on the NBA 2025 draft within the seventh within the basic classification, however they made plenty of calls to attempt to trade towards Queen. They lastly discovered a buying and selling associate within the Atlanta Hawks, from 23 to thirteenth at the price of selecting the primary spherical of the Pelicans in 2026, which would be the alternative higher between them and the Milwaukee Bucks.
It was a really excessive value to pay, particularly with the Pélicans who ought to once more miss the playoffs this season. Bucks shouldn’t be drummers on this planet both, so there’s a good likelihood that this alternative is a minimum of within the prime 10 of what must be a a lot better restoration class.
This choice has been broadly turned, and though it’s too early to seek out out if it’ll work, injure itself in the summertime league is a nasty omen.
