Pelicans' Derik Queen Out Months After Suffering Ligament Tear

New Orleans will be without a first-round draft pick for the foreseeable future.

Derik Queen talks to reporters at the NBA draft combine in Chicago. / David Banks-Imagn Images

The season hasn't even begun, and the New Orleans Pelicans have already lost a key rookie to injury.

Pelicans center Derik Queen tore the scapholunate ligament in his left wrist during New Orleans's 93–87 Summer League loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday, the team said in a Friday afternoon statement.

Queen, 20, will miss at least the next 12 weeks before being reevaluated. That would in all probability put his return, conservatively, in mid-October—or around the start of the regular season.

The Atlanta Hawks drafted Queen 13th on the Pelicans' behalf after a trade that saw New Orleans trade away a 2026 first-round pick to move up for him. Because of this, he has received unusual scrutiny for a mid-round pick.

Queen is coming off a terrific one-and-done season with Maryland that saw him make the All-Big Ten team and knock down a buzzer-beating jumper against Colorado State in the NCAA tournament. He averaged 14 points per game in three Summer League contests.

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