The New Orleans Pelicans are 3-17 for the season for the second-worst record in the NBA. The teams has been much improved since Zion Williamson’s return, but wins have been hard to come by. Interim head coach James Borrego has been pressing all the buttons looking for the right lineup combinations, but the Pelicans continue to look nowhere near good enough to be competitive in the Western Conference. Borrego’s search for answers has recently put star rookie Derik Queen in a tough spot.
In Saturday’s loss against the Golden State Warriors, Queen was an afterthought. Not only did he just play 16 minutes, but he had a usage rate of 13.6% in his minutes. To make matters worse, Borrego didn’t play him at all in the fourth quarter. Queen was a team-worst -17 in his minutes. In his last three games, Queen is averaging less than 20 minutes and seven points per game. The Pelicans have lost those minutes by 46 points.
Derik Queen’s Response to 1st Big Adversity Will Be Telling
For a player who was the team’s primary offensive engine for a significant stretch of the season, this is very disappointing. Especially during Williamson’s absence, Queen was a hub that the Pelicans’ offense was flowing through. His ability to score in a multitude of ways and create shots for himself and his teammates earned him a starting role and extensive minutes.
While Queen’s offense has remained impressive, his defensive shortcomings have been the reason for his diminished role. Borrego clearly trusts Yves Missi more on that end of the floor and has consistently gone to him to close games. The Pelicans have been better in Missi’s minutes in recent games, but it’s undeniable that Queen gives New Orleans a higher floor.
This is the first big adversity in Queen’s career. How he will respond to this will speak volumes about his career trajectory. The former Maryland standout obviously has immense talent, but Borrego has been sending a clear message about where he needs to improve. While defensive improvement will take time, especially for a center, Queen needs to at least show positive signs in his rookie campaign.
These are growing pains for any rookie. It is plausible that Queen could lose his starting spot if this downward trend holds. As the Pelicans continue to lose games, Borrego will likely shuffle things around in the starting lineup, which could include putting Missi over Queen. The talented rookie can’t let that negatively affect him. Losing games while losing minutes is not an ideal situation, but Queen has to stay motivated to prove he is the future of this franchise.
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