Derik Queen<\/a> is a good player worth trading up for, but the circumstances are not in the Pelicans\u2019 favor. Unless they pull off the best 2025-26 regular season possible, this might be a terrible trade.<\/p>\n New president of basketball operations Joe Dumars has caught the majority of the flak. This includes Bill Simmons<\/a> ripping into the trade<\/a>, but Dumars himself has defended the decision<\/a>. <\/p>\n He talked about how Queen was worth it, and how he has all the strengths the New Orleans Pelicans<\/a> need.<\/p>\n For Queen, he wants more people to talk about him rather than the lost first-round pick. He is ready to prove everyone wrong and establish himself as one of the top players in the class.<\/p>\n As the Pelicans face criticism, Queen is in the middle of the crossfire<\/a>. Unfortunately, he is the focal point of the discourse besides Dumars.<\/p>\n However, thankfully for Pelicans fans, Queen is using it as the motivation to help him during his career. It is natural for him to be more defensive, as he wants to prove he was the right pick. <\/p>\n \u201cDefinitely. I don\u2019t think anyone in that class is ever going to be better than me. I block all the noise out. He\u2019s got a lot of faith in me. Most of those guys I beat on in high school,\u201d Queen said in his introductory press conference.<\/p>\n \u201cIt don\u2019t really matter, but just gotta continue. The NBA is a whole different level, so just gotta continue getting better. <\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t get too big-headed, don\u2019t get too low. Just beat on them next year and make Joe look like a genius.\u201d<\/p>\n That is the optimal mindset, as he will be playing under a microscope. He wants to cement himself enough to prove the critics wrong and Dumars right.<\/p>\n “Definitely. I don’t think anyone in that class is ever going to be better than me\u2026 Most of those guys I beat on in High School\u2026 Just beat on them next year and make Joe look like a genius”<\/p>\n \u2014 Derik Queen on being motivated by the noise around the trade pic.twitter.com\/aWiIkZ4eJK<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) June 28, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n View Tweet<\/p>\n The New Orleans Pelicans\u2019 2025 draft picks are promising<\/p>\n The team is making big moves in the 2025 offseason, as they traded CJ McCollum<\/a> for Jordan Poole<\/a>. At the same time, Queen is only one of New Orleans\u2019 three selections in the 2025 NBA Draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n They selected Jeremiah Fears from Oklahoma with the seventh overall pick. He is a lightning-quick point guard with tremendous potential and was superb in college as a top player who led his team on a lengthy unbeaten run.<\/p>\n The last rookie was Micah Peavy, who was the 40th overall pick by the Washington Wizards<\/a>. He is a promising player who is a legitimate two-way talent. Peavy could be a steal as part of the McCollum and Poole trade.<\/p>\n The Pelicans have low expectations, but the team is poised to prove everyone wrong. Zion Williamson<\/a> and Trey Murphy III<\/a> will be the stars, but this set of rookies is hungry for success.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n ![\"Derik](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/GettyImages-2222176811-1-941x627.jpg\")
Photo by Sarah Stier\/Getty ImagesDerik Queen thinks he will be the best player in 2025 NBA Draft class<\/p>\n