Derik Queen's Downward Trend Raises Alarm Bells for Pelicans

Derik Queen’s rookie season with the New Orleans Pelicans has been many things, but predictable isn’t one of them. Watching this year’s No. 13 pick is like tracking a volatile stock: one night he’s a triple-double threat, the next, a non-factor in a crowded frontcourt. As New Orleans wraps up the season, Queen’s inconsistency defines his development narrative. With less than 20 games remaining in the season, the rookie finds himself in a different place and space than where he started the year.

The former Maryland star already had plenty of negativity surrounding him even before he set foot on the court in a Pelicans uniform. New Orleans traded an unprotected first-round pick in this year’s NBA Draft to the Atlanta Hawks for his rights on draft night.

Considering the Pelicans were coming off a 21-61 season and showed no signs of improving the roster, the consensus among analysts was that it was a draft-night failure. The former Maryland star certainly showed flashes early in the season, displaying a multi-layered offensive game, but the scrutiny of the trade to acquire him holds him to an unattainable standard.

DERIK QUEEN TRIPLE DOUBLE TONIGHT:

14 POINTS
16 REBOUNDS
12 ASSISTS
7/13 FGM pic.twitter.com/Li61tjLrvr
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) January 10, 2026

Pelicans' Derik Queen Has Officially Hit the Rookie Wall

As his offensive numbers have declined in recent weeks, his defensive ineptitude has come under greater scrutiny. Queen was questioned even before the draft about his motor and defensive efforts, and the rookie has done little to dispel those claims.

Simply put, when paired with Zion Williamson, the duo has one of the league's worst defensive ratings. According to Databallr, the duo has a defensive rating of 123.3 when on the court together. When Queen is off, and Williamson remains, that rating improves to 114.3. When Queen is on the court, and Zion isn’t, that rating is still high at 120.9. It was one of the reasons interim head coach James Borrego pulled the trigger on sending Queen to the bench in favor of the veteran, more defensive-minded DeAndre Jordan.

Jordan replaced Queen in the starting lineup against the Philadelphia 76ers in late February. It was Jordan’s first game action since October, and he did not disappoint. The 37-year-old center grabbed 15 rebounds and blocked 4 shots in the win.

Borrego provided some insight into why he believed a lineup tweak was needed. "To be a good defensive ball club in this league, you've got to have some type of physicality, rim protection, deterrence, a presence in the middle — and he (Jordan) provided that," Borrego said after the win against the Sixers.

Queen has not been in the starting lineup since that game, and his production has noticeably taken a hit. Over the last five games, the Baltimore native has scored in double figures just once and turned in a clunker against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night, going 0-for-3 from the field and scoring just 2 points in 19 minutes.

This is in sharp contrast to his fellow rookie teammate Jeremiah Fears, who was also recently benched ahead of the return of guard Dejounte Murray to the starting lineup following his 13-month absence with a ruptured Achilles tendon. Fears has remained fairly consistent despite the benching, even becoming the youngest NBA rookie guard to score more than 25 points in an NBA game with his 28-point performance on Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers.

While some believe Queen is more polished offensively, Fears has shown to be a defensive disruptor. The former Oklahoma star has a chance to break the franchise record for most steals in a season by a rookie. Queen seems to be trending down later in the year, while Fears is ascending.

It would seem Queen has hit the proverbial rookie wall this season, but his lack of recent scoring shouldn’t be a reflection of a lack of effort and hustle on defense. At 6-foot-9, 250 pounds, his size places a question mark on his true position on the court. He’s too small to be a viable defensive anchor at the center position, and if you place him at power forward against other nimble frontcourt players who can put the ball on the floor, his lateral movement comes into question when asked to guard on the perimeter.

His offensive fit alongside Williamson isn’t ideal, considering both players operate mostly in the paint. Queen has been working on shooting more from the perimeter, but he’s only hitting 26% of his attempts from beyond the arc and less than 50% overall from the field.

Derik Queen Defense Tape 2/20 vs MIL
~ 23 Points Allowed
~ Held Opponents to 9/12 FG (as primary def)
- 5 Stocks
- 28 Minutes

Thoughts on his defense?

*Not every clip included goes towards the Opp FG%, but I included all relevant clips of his defense from the game* pic.twitter.com/xMOiuSmyeQ
— Hoopology (@hoopologyxx) February 21, 2026

The Pelicans will need to find answers to their frontcourt defensive problems, as pairing Queen and Williamson has not proven to be viable on the court. However, at 21 years old, Queen has time to fine-tune his skills and improve on both sides of the court.

The effort and intensity start with him, and as a foundational block of this team moving forward, more will be required and expected of the young rookie. This season, no doubt, has been a learning experience. Now Queen needs to adapt and grow to reach new heights in this league.