There may be no team more perplexing this offseason than the New Orleans Pelicans. After finishing the 2024-25 campaign with just 21 wins, a full teardown seemed likely. Instead, the franchise has gone all-in on what exactly, no one can say for sure. Front-office overhauls, confusing trades, and an expensive draft gamble headline what is shaping up to be one of the most puzzling offseasons in recent memory. And amidst the chaos, one move stands out as the biggest mistake of their offseason: trading the No. 23 pick and an unprotected 2026 first-rounder to move up ten spots and draft Derik Queen at No. 13.
Let’s unpack how they got here and why that single mistake could have devastating consequences in the 2025 free agency.
The Pelicans ushered in a new era by replacing David Griffin with Joe Dumars as president of basketball operations and hiring Troy Weaver as general manager. Dumars, nicknamed “Two Phones” for his reportedly aggressive trade style, wasted no time making noise. But aggression without a cohesive vision can be dangerous.
Their first significant move was trading veteran guard CJ McCollum for Jordan Poole. In a vacuum, Poole is a better long-term asset, younger, more dynamic, and with higher upside. But McCollum was on an expiring deal, and his contract could’ve created cap flexibility next summer. Poole, meanwhile, is owed significant money for two more years, adding financial pressure to a team that should have been prioritizing flexibility over flash.
Things escalated on draft night. After selecting promising young guard Jeremiah Fears with the seventh overall pick- a reasonable, forward-thinking move- the Pelicans made a stunning trade. They sent the 23rd pick and the more favorable of their own or Milwaukee’s 2026 first-round pick, unprotected, to move up to 13 and draft big man Derik Queen.
Queen is a talented player with upside. But let’s be clear: no prospect available at No. 13 was worth an unprotected future pick from a rebuilding team. This is not a team on the verge of contention. Betting that the pick will land in the 20s is dangerously optimistic. With Zion Williamson’s availability a perennial question mark and no proven stars beyond him, New Orleans could easily find itself back in the lottery in 2026, only this time, without its own pick.
Here’s the core issue: the Pelicans are behaving like a team ready to win now, without the record, stability, or star health to back it up.
Trading an unprotected pick is a bet that you’re good, or will be good very soon. New Orleans just won 21 games. To reach even the 8-seed in the ultra-competitive Western Conference, they'd need a 27-win improvement. That’s not realistic unless Zion plays 70+ games, Poole has a career year, and the supporting cast gels instantly.
Queen might develop into a valuable player, but his rookie year won’t move the needle meaningfully in 2025-26. This is a team with serious questions at multiple positions and an unclear rotation.
To their credit, the Pelicans did lock up defensive ace Herb Jones with a team-friendly extension through the 2029-30 season. In an offseason full of gambles, this was a shrewd, low-risk decision. Jones brings elite perimeter defense and has grown into a reliable 3-and-D wing- a valuable archetype for any team.
But that singular bright spot does little to offset the recklessness of the draft night trade.
The New Orleans Pelicans are adding fresh talent to the roster. The Pelicans signed guard Trey Alexander to a two-way deal. Alexander played 24 games with the Denver Nuggets last season.
Meanwhile, free-agent center Kevon Looney has agreed to a two-year, $16 million deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, sources tell ESPN. Life Sports Agency CEO Todd Ramasar and the Pelicans reached a deal tonight for the three-time NBA champion who departs Golden State after 10 years.
Head coach Willie Green faces a daunting task: making sense of a deep but disjointed roster. They have depth, but not cohesion. They have youth, but no clear development timeline. They have Zion, but can he stay healthy and focused?
Jordan Poole’s fit is questionable as well. His game overlaps with the skill sets of Fears and even Trey Murphy III, creating redundancy instead of synergy.
It’s not too late for New Orleans to pivot- but it requires humility and strategic focus.
If they can flip Poole for a protected 2026 or 2027 first, they can soften the long-term cost of the Queen trade.
There’s too much overlap at guard. Turning quantity into quality, even through a 2-for-1 trade, can clarify roles and accelerate development.
If Zion goes down again, the team should pivot hard into playing Fears and Queen heavy minutes, while preserving future flexibility.
Every move now must assume they don’t have their pick next year. That means aiming to either contend (realistically) or tank smart by acquiring another team's pick to build around.
