Pelicans' Summer League Decision on Derik Queen & Jeremiah Fears Is Baffling

New Orleans Pelicans' stellar rookies Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears are in Las Vegas for this year’s NBA Summer League. However, they are merely spectators, not participants, during the competition.

While each rookie showed promise in their first year in the league, not playing this summer seems like a missed opportunity for them and the Pelicans.

Long are the days when the Summer League is seen as a place where only rookies or fringe players compete against each other. A quick look back at recent Pelicans history shows that impact players returned to the Las Vegas tournament in their second season.

Players like Trey Murphy III, Dyson Daniels, and Yves Missi all played a second year in the Summer League. Missi, like Fears and Queen, received All-NBA Rookie Second Team honors in his first year. Pelicans head coach Jamahl Mosley told reporters there was a reason the duo is not suiting up in Vegas.

Jamahl Mosley says a big reason Fears and Queen are not playing Summer League is they played 82 and 81 games, respectively, this season. They have been around working out with the team though.
— Rod Walker (@RodWalkerNola) July 6, 2026

Not Having Queen & Fears in the Summer League Roster Is a Missed Opportunity

Both players just about went the distance in their rookie season, finishing the grueling NBA season nearly unscathed.

Still, it seems like a missed opportunity for the players to improve their on-court connection and establish themselves as future leaders on the team.

The Pelicans suffered their 12th straight Summer League loss on Thursday, a 102-95 defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves. New Orleans has not won a Summer League game since 2023, and both players were a part of their 0-4 record last season.

Even if they didn’t participate in all four games this year, just seeing them in the rotation would send a strong message to the rest of their team. Players like Spurs forward Carter Bryant, who is coming off an NBA Finals appearance, are playing this summer to further sharpen their skills. In fact, Fears and Queen are the only two lottery picks from last year outside of the top four of the draft who aren't on their team's Summer League rosters.

Queen saw a sharp decrease in production once his minutes were reduced. A quick comparison of his December and March stat lines tells the tale. In December, the former Maryland standout played in 15 games, averaging 29 minutes per game, 15 points, 8.4 rebounds, and five assists. By March, he was coming off the bench, and his minutes were reduced to 19 per game, while he averaged 8.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists.

Naturally, his production would decrease with fewer minutes, but he shot a lowly 40% from the field in March compared to nearly 53% in December. Whether he hit the proverbial rookie wall or not, extra reps would certainly help him hone in on his shooting and defensive awareness.

Pelicans in the building 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/7e2PhspFMt
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) July 9, 2026

Fears fared better in his reduced-minute role after the All-Star break, but even more expectations will be thrust upon him next season. It is widely expected that the Pelicans will make a move to offload either Jordan Poole or Dejounte Murray at some point this season.

Couple that with the team moving backup guard Jose Alvarado at the trade deadline, and Fears will see the backcourt rotation thinning next year. The Pelicans see that as an opportunity for further growth for the former Oklahoma standout, but getting some additional playing time would have helped Fears develop further to match the growing expectations placed on him.

The duo is getting plenty of work in this offseason, making the training facility a second home to the young players. Whether or not getting the chance to compete against other competitors pays off remains to be seen.

If the sophomore tandem takes a massive leap in efficiency and mental processing, the front office will look like geniuses. But if they start the regular season looking rusty or slow to adapt, the missed opportunity in Las Vegas will serve as an easy target for criticism.

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