The New Orleans Pelicans have a big season ahead of them when it comes to Derik Queen, and the biggest question isn’t about his talent. That part is already obvious. The real issue is whether the rookie can turn flashes into something the team can trust.
Queen’s appeal showed up fast. His passing for a player his size is rare, and the “Baby Jokic” nickname makes sense when he starts seeing the floor and moving the ball the way he does.
He was also the first rookie last season to record a triple-double, and he came close to a few more. That kind of play is exactly why plenty of people in New Orleans are excited about what he could become.
But the Pelicans are still trying to figure out what kind of player he can be in a winning setup. The defensive ceiling is part of that conversation, though that’s not the kind of issue that changes overnight. The more immediate concerns are about his offensive efficiency and where he fits on the floor long term.
Can he improve the efficiency?
That’s one of the key things New Orleans has to find out. Queen’s production needs to become more efficient if the Pelicans are going to feel comfortable starting him. According to CleaningTheGlass, he finished in the 19th percentile in points per shot attempt among bigs last year.
Some of that ties into offseason work in the weight room, especially if it helps him finish better at the rim. That’s where the numbers really dragged him down.
He shot 60% at the rim, which placed him in the 20th percentile. His three-point shooting also has room to grow, since he hit just 26.1% on 1.1 attempts per game from deep.
There was at least one stretch that showed what the Pelicans would love to see more often. In December, Queen averaged 15.0 points, 8.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game while shooting 52.6/29.4/75.4. If he can get back to something close to that level, New Orleans would take it in a heartbeat.
Is he a four or a five long-term?
Queen has already given his own answer, saying this offseason that he’s both. From the Pelicans’ side, though, they still have to settle on where he belongs.
The most natural fit, based on his profile, is probably at power forward, even though he spent most of his time at center. If he and Yves Missi can share the floor effectively, that opens up a promising path for the future. The problem is that Zion Williamson at the four makes it difficult for Queen to lock down that spot full-time.
That leaves New Orleans with another important decision to make this season. Williamson’s future will affect Queen’s future too, and if the Pelicans can make the minutes work with Williamson at the four and Queen at the five, that would give them another strong option to build around.
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