“This was one of the five dumbest trades of this decade” – Bill Simmons bashes New Orleans Pelicans for historic draft blunder originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Bill Simmons did not hold back in his assessment of the New Orleans Pelicans’Â latest draft night gamble.
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The move, which saw the Pelicans send the No. 23 pick and an unprotected 2026 first round pick to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for the No. 13 pick (used to select Derik Queen), has left NBA analysts and executives across the league scratching their heads and openly mocking the Pelicans’ front office.
“This is when I lost my mind. I blacked out. This was one of the five dumbest trades of this decade,” Simmons ranted on his podcast. “I was speechless. I just can’t believe it. And who is it? It’s our guy Joe Dumars. And now he just traded away their unprotected first-round pick.”
How Atlanta fleeced New Orleans
In a loaded Western Conference, with the Pelicans coming off a disastrous 21-61 season, giving up an unprotected future pick is a colossal risk. If New Orleans struggles again next year, which is a very real possibility, the Hawks could be gifted one of the best picks in the next NBA Draft and all of that for the right to move up just 10 spots in a draft that most analysts considered top-heavy.
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The Hawks, on the other hand, are being widely praised for the move. Not only did they slide back to No. 23 and land Georgia center Asa Newell, a player they reportedly wanted, but they also secured the more favorable of the Pelicans’ or Milwaukee Bucks’ 2026 first round picks.
With the Bucks’ future uncertain and the Pelicans’ roster full of question marks, the Hawks’ front office should be more than happy with the haul they received for a single first round pick.
League-wide ridicule
Other analysts joined the chorus of criticism.
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Nick Wright called it “the most reckless draft day trade I have seen in five years.” He left the draft night in disbelief that the organization would risk so much future value for a single prospect.
“How can you possibly trade away your unprotected first round pick next year? Atlanta, great job,” Wright said.
Joe Dumars, the Pelicans’ Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations, defended their aggressive approach.
“When you identify a player that you think can be one of the foundations here, you go and get him,” he said.
The consensus around the league is clear — the risk far outweighs the reward. Queen may become a solid NBA player, but unless he turns into a franchise cornerstone overnight, the trade could haunt New Orleans for years.
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Skepticism is also rooted in history. The Western Conference is only getting tougher and and the Pelicans’ core is anything but stable. Zion Williamson’s health is always a question, and the team’s recent moves, including trading away CJ McCollum for a Jordan Poole-centered package, haven’t exactly make their fans confident about what’s ahead.
“They might have the championship belt now of biggest mess of a team,” Simmons said.
For now, the Hawks look like the clear winners of the trade, holding a lottery ticket for next year’s draft while the Pelicans bet the house on a single roll. If things go south in New Orleans, this deal may not just be one of the dumbest of the decade; it could become a cautionary tale for years to come.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.