Pelicans' Derik Queen Problem Persists Amid Winning Streak

The New Orleans Pelicans are winning more than they have all season. They are 12-6 since the trade deadline, and that is worth celebrating, even if a lot of the wins have come against teams that are not trying too hard. There is a clear benefit to the Pelicans trying to build as much momentum as possible for next season.

While winning is nice, the Pelicans can't lose sight of their long-term vision. They invested significantly in Derik Queen last offseason, and they can't afford to deprioritize him just because they are winning some games.

Pelicans Can't Risk Losing Derik Queen Just Because They Are Winning Some Games

Queen has largely been an afterthought during New Orleans' hot stretch. His minutes have been inconsistent as he is averaging less than 20 minutes per game since losing his starting spot to Dejounte Murray at the end of February. In the 13 games since, Queen has played over 25 minutes just twice and scored in double digits only four times. He has averaged 7.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game on 52.4 True Shooting%. His usage rate nosedived to 19.8% and turnover rate ballooned to 19%.

Looking at that statistical profile, it's hard to argue that Queen deserves more playing time. Especially when the Pelicans are playing better than they have all season, there may be some benefit to keeping Queen on the bench for accountability and development purposes. At the same time, there needs to be a finer balance between prioritizing winning and developmental time for the young players.

Queen is not an ordinary rookie. He is a lottery pick that the Pelicans gave up a 2026 unprotected pick for. There is a very good chance that pick will be a top-ten selection in the draft. Even if the Pelicans win every single game until the end of the season, their present and the future will not change. They will still miss the postseason, and they will not be in a better place than they are now.

What will bring them to that better place is Queen turning into a star. That will not happen if he is playing 15 minutes and taking three shots.

The former Maryland standout has the potential to be an offensive hub. He needs the ball in his hands to be able to create shots for himself and his teammates. This requires on-ball reps. There will be growing pains, including bad shots and turnovers. That is the price the Pelicans have to pay. If they didn't have the patience for it, they shouldn't have traded for Queen last summer. But they did, so they now have to put him in a position to succeed. If that means winning fewer games over the next three weeks, so be it.