New Orleans Pelicans: Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears Are Foundational Players
The New Orleans Pelicans are having a forgettable regular season, but Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears are showing that they're young foundational building blocks moving forward.
Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears have been bright spots for the New Orleans Pelicans, to say the least.
Yes, the franchise is under A LOT of scrutiny for decisions that led up to the drafting of Queen in particular last June. But is it fair for one player’s performance to consistently land underneath the microscope based on front office decisions?
That is a topic for another day, as this week is all about what the young Pels have done ON the court. Both Queen and Fears have shown several positives on offense and defense, with plenty of room to grow.
However, where I want to delve deeper this week is in how both players reflect a philosophical priority I’ve held more closely in recent years when scouting prospects for the NBA Draft.
So let’s dive deep into what’s going on in New Orleans, PLUS check out which other NBA rookies and sophomores are making noise around the league!
*All statistics used and referenced are as of 11/23/25 and are courtesy of Basketball-Reference, Cleaning the Glass, Synergy Sports, and Dunks and Threes*
It’s never easy dealing with the fallout of a trade that everyone publicly crucified.
In real time, we saw that play out in a Friday night showdown between the New Orleans Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks. Cooper Flagg wasn’t part of the Luka Doncic trade that shocked the world, but his overall play will be judged, for better or worse, around that move that pivoted the franchise in an entirely different direction, given the recent comments and actions made by the franchise.
The New Orleans Pelicans drafted Derik Queen through two separate transactions that netted the team the ability to trade back up and select him in the 2025 NBA Draft. In taking a chance on Queen, New Orleans punted on potentially selecting near the top of the 2026 draft, which currently is tracking to be an excellent talent pool at the top filled with potential stars.
So watching these two go head-to-head, especially given the dynamic of having been former teammates at Montverde, was a priority watch for me heading into the week. And boy, did that game not disappoint.
Both Queen and Flagg stuffed the stat sheet and showed out for their respective teams in a hard-fought matchup that ultimately fell the way of the Mavericks 118-115, thanks to Flagg’s brilliant play down the stretch. That much was expected of Flagg, given where he was drafted and the hype coming in. He’s looked to be the “savior” of the franchise.
I was much more intrigued with how Queen and even Jeremiah Fears performed, however. And how they’ve been playing over the last few weeks.
I’ll touch on Fears in a bit, but this Slam Dunk is really about Queen’s offensive brilliance and how he’s a real-time example of how a major component of my draft philosophy has shifted over the last year.
Everyone has different philosophical viewpoints on what matters most when evaluating prospects, both on and off the court.
Personally, I value as much off-court intel as I can get my hands on, as the fate of these players is most determined by their own competitive drives, the company they keep, and the circumstances they’re drafted into.
Purely from an on-court perspective, there’s more than one way to make a case for a prospect. From shooting to defense to overall understanding and mapping of the court, there are so many aspects of a player’s game that can help or hinder their ceilings as contributors within an NBA ecosystem.
Where I’ve tried to come back to, again PURELY from an on-court perspective, is what skills and traits matter MOST when trying to “break ties” and determine which prospects could thrive in the most situations, depending on where they are drafted?
Suppose a certain player is best suited for a specific offensive or defensive system, and isn’t built to adapt to another situation. Are they best suited to be taken higher in the draft, given the fact that most teams selecting near the top don’t have a committed identity for the next four to eight years?
Therefore, I’ve been evaluating prospects in terms of a “big board” based on how malleable they are within different contexts. Can “Player X” thrive in a transition-heavy system? Motion offense? Spread pick-and-roll? Do they have the ability to blend in and take on a support role around one or multiple stars? How do they fare with the ball in their hands?
That’s where we get to Queen and WHY he’s been able to seamlessly fit in with the Pelicans on both ends of the floor.
Obviously, I’m going to value situational awareness, court vision, and instincts as high as any other characteristics for a player. But from a skill standpoint, two things have really popped to me as an evaluator over the last year that can separate good prospects from GREAT ones: ball-handling and footwork.
Many would’ve expected me to say shooting, or touch, or even defensive aptitude. And to an extent, those people would be correct. If you don’t meet certain athletic baselines or don’t possess an average to above-average shooting stroke, your pathway to getting minutes in the NBA narrows significantly and gets murky very quickly if the defense isn’t up to par.
But something that’s gone a smidge under discussed is the ability to handle the ball and get to spots on the floor easier than others are able to out there.
Queen’s ability to handle the rock, take mismatches off the bounce, and utilize his herky-jerky movements from a stop-start perspective make him such a lethal operator with the ball in his hands. Even against really solid defensive frameworks, Queen can pick teams apart because there’s no limit to where he can get to on the floor.
In transition, Queen can grab a board and take the ball up the court himself. He has great timing and vision, and knows when he needs to keep pushing or hit ahead on an outlet read. He doesn’t have to make the most lightning-quick decisions upon catching the ball (although his mind does process the game INCREDIBLY fast) because he’s actually a threat to put the ball on the floor. It’s not the same as a player who succumbs to pressure and can’t dribble against NBA-level defenders in fullcourt or halfcourt situations. Queen is afforded that extra bit of patience because he can actually get to where he needs to go without needing to kill his dribble and come to a full stop.
That ability fully lends itself to his creativity as a passer, which wouldn’t be there for him in the same ways if Queen couldn’t navigate in tight spaces with the ball in his hands, or utilize different ball fakes and moves that require attention to detail and excellent footwork.
Because Queen is so confident in what he can do as a ball-handler, it really catches defenses off guard. How else would he be able to throw an alley-oop so effortlessly in a half-court setting like he did several times in the Pelicans-Mavs game? Defenses are keyed into Queen’s actions and movements because he’s actually a threat to them off the dribble. Others around him can consistently move in rotation with Queen, or cut opposite to find gaps for open dishes and shot attempts.
Queen’s passing vision and ball placement are no doubt critical to his overall success as an offensive hub. But because he’s so good at different counters, stop-start maneuvers, and post-up moves, Queen creates so many more opportunities compared to another big who is purely operating from a standstill in a handoff action or short roll.
It’s that ability to ALWAYS keep defenders guessing that makes the amazing reads possible (because yes, Queen is another SPECIAL player who has eyes in the back of his head). And those plays aren’t even possible without his ability to handle the rock and make guys dance.
Because he’s so good as a handler and operator in both fullcourt and halfcourt schemes, he opens up so much ground offensively for the Pelicans. Guys like Zion Williamson aren’t compromised in areas where they love to operate best because he and Queen can move off one another based on how the defense is reacting. Neither is limited to the space they occupy on the floor at the time, and both can screen and roll for each other because of their ball-handling.
Queen can also make all of the reads at the top of the floor like we’ve discussed to find players like Fears and Herb Jones cutting to the rim, or Trey Murphy III spotting up. Even a player like Jordan Hawkins can get easier shots playing off Queen.
And speaking of Fears, both he and Queen have already started building chemistry in awesome ways. They both know how to find each other when the offense breaks down. Fears has had to take on a lot of playmaking burden with no Dejounte Murray in the lineup due to injury. So having another quick reader in Queen helps make his life easier because he has someone else who can get HIM an easy shot.
That aspect has most certainly helped Fears’s efficiency of late, as he can focus more on being a dynamic scorer rather than a do-it-all floor general because Queen can work as the de facto point guard for New Orleans.
Everyone who pays attention to the Pelicans was excited during the offseason because of the rumors that Zion was coming back and looked better than ever. “Point Zion” has always been a fun concept to tinker with in the offense because of the downhill pressure he creates as a driver. His gravity naturally creates openings for shooters, given the fact that he pulls two or three defenders into the paint with him on those drives.
But now Williamson can roll to the rim, or cut, without having to set up all of those shots by himself BECAUSE he has someone else next to him who can grab the rebound, push, and hit Williamson on a read ahead of the defense.
Per Cleaning the Glass, the two-man combination of Queen and Zion is already +13.8 points per 100 possessions BETTER with them on the floor together. Everything in the league is still small-sample-size theater (based on 169 possessions), but the numbers make sense given how these two can play off one another.
Now, there are for sure defensive trends that won’t keep pace with Queen’s effectiveness on the floor. Overall, the defense for the Pelicans is 6.4 points per 100 better with him on the floor as opposed to off, primarily because he’s been a really effective help defender, and he’s used his quick hands and instincts to make plays on the ball. In that Pels-Mavs game, we saw a few times where some of the defensive communication and rotations broke down, leaving Queen to have to step up from his drop position to come out and contest shooters. Queen isn’t a quick MOVER; he’s more of a quick processor. When those mistakes happen, the defense is compromised in similar ways as when any other slow-footed drop big is on the floor. And at the basket, Queen doesn’t yet have the strength needed to battle traditional low-post centers every trip down the floor quite yet.
That’s why I’ve been encouraged when I’ve seen Queen stepping up in switch opportunities, as he moves really laterally for his size, just not north-south. Queen does a good job at playing his man with enough space for him to react one way or the other, and lives for the challenge of defending a smaller matchup if he’s the guy who is hunted in a ball screen.
Now again, there are limitations even within a pre-switching scheme because of Queen’s lack of elite north-south speed. He can only close out so quickly if a coverage breaks down.
But at the end of the day, I’m not nearly as worried about the defense YET for this team as opposed to how excited I am for this new offensive identity around Queen.
And that identity stems from Queen’s outlier ball handling at the center position, coupled with excellent footwork and maneuverability in tight spaces.
Imagine if Queen had gone to another team like the Washington Wizards, a situation that desperately needs a point guard of any kind to evaluate the rest of its young talent. Queen could’ve lifted that offense to new heights just as he’s doing in New Orleans. The Brooklyn Nets drafted several lead guards, but will they be as effective as Queen already is?
We can go down the list, but the point to be made is that Queen can fit almost everywhere because of his ability to execute from multiple spots on the floor. He can attack a closeout and drive from the corners or wings. He’s continuing to get better in the post. Put him at the top of the floor and let him cook. Have him operate off the ball in transition as a trailer who can re-make the offense if the initial scoring read isn’t there on the break. Queen isn’t a stationary big, meaning the ways in which you can use him are nearly endless. And if that jump shot of his comes around in more ways than the fall-away or bank-shot twos that he’s fallen in love with in the paint? Goodness me.
Now I did promise to speak on Fears for a bit here, and he ties into his philosophical trend of mine as well. Nearly every scout who spoke on Fears (myself included) focused heavily on his inconsistency as a shooter, and how it could hinder an NBA offense right out of the gate. Yes, Fears hasn’t been a strong three-point shooter or pull-up shooter up to this point. We’ve seen the flashes that he can make those shots, but it hasn’t been an every-night occurrence.
So, how has Fears performed so well as a rookie point guard? Well, he’s brought the slick ball-handling he showed off in college with him to the NBA. Fears is certainly fearLESS (funny pun) as a driver, which that confidence helps to explode through gaps that some many choose to err on the side of caution with. But if he can’t ultimately slice through multiple defenders, Fears can dribble back out, target his man, and put together a new dribble combination/step to get back into the teeth of the defense and hunt. There aren’t many spots on the floor that Fears CAN’T get to, if any. This means that he’s always commanding the attention of defenses as a driver, for better or worse.
But even if Fears is caught in no man’s land, he’s already shown some nice deceleration moves that have led to pull-up shots that he can bank in and knock down. He’s not a perfect player right now by any means, but his willingness to try new things, while also having the ball-handling ability to manipulate defenses, has given him a fighting chance as a new point guard on the block.
My point stands that ball-handling and footwork can really help elevate prospects from good to great. In big men, look at the guys who end up becoming NBA All-Stars. VERY few of them are traditional non-dribble bigs like Rudy Gobert. At this point, those players are outliers. It’s guys like Victor Wembanyama, Bam Adebayo, Alperen Sengun, and Domantas Sabonis, among others, who can all put the ball on the deck and get to spots where they are most effective to score themselves or find teammates for open looks as secondary (or even primary) playmakers.
For wings, attacking closeouts is such an important aspect of displacing defenders, forcing rotations and help, and either getting a hard-fought bucket at the basket or kicking back out to another shooter/driver. If said wing can’t keep the ball tight on those drives, or can’t create out of a secondary pick-and-roll action, they’re severely limited to what they can provide offensively if the ball is swung around in their direction.
And for guards, NBA defenses are packed in the paint and on the perimeter with more guys than ever with ridiculous length. The guys who are expected most to operate in those tight spaces and gaps are point guards or combo guards, as it’s their job to knife through defenses, draw attention, and make the next read. If they can’t keep a tight handle or separate from defenders to get to those spots, it’s curtains for them in the NBA.
So if we are ONLY discussing prospects from an on-court perspective within a specific context, I would invite you, the reader, to consider a player’s performance and HOW they operate on the floor outside of their raw shooting percentages and defensive ratings. How malleable is said player? Can they operate in gaps and create off the bounce? Do they have the counters and footwork to score if the defense has all other options covered?
That’s why it’s my observation and evaluation that Queen and Fears are foundational players for the Pelicans. Because of how they’ve already grown and operate within a team context, this franchise is finding an offensive identity built around sharing the ball and putting five guys on the court who can all dribble, pass, and score to some degree. That free-flowing system doesn’t even have a chance to remain competitive on the glass or defensively without Queen at the helm, concerns warranted. And having a young, explosive guard like Fears doesn’t hurt the long-term trajectory either.
*Each week, I’ll be writing about the top rookies that stood out to me through film and statistical study. This is NOT a “Rookie Rank” as that is a separate matter that will be updated at different points throughout the season*
Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks
Week Stats: 4 GP, 19.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.0 SPG, 51.7/30.8/73.3 Shooting Splits
Most of everything has come together for Cooper Flagg in recent weeks, particularly over the last week, outside of his perimeter shooting.
Flagg has found ways to get into the paint as a secondary creator, and the shift to getting him downhill off another action as opposed to from a standstill at the top of the floor has worked wonders for his balance as a scorer. Whether it’s been all the way to the rim or off a fading jumper just outside of the paint, Flagg’s inside-the-arc approach has even connected some dots for others when he’s utilized his passing vision.
And as expected, the defense in terms of his impact around the basket as a help defender has been outstanding. Flagg is making a real push to get into consideration for All-Defense, which is something you NEVER hear about from a rookie.
WHEN (not if) the jumper starts to come around for Flagg from three-point range, it’s only going to amplify his scoring arsenal and put him back on the table as a better creator from the top of the floor. For now, having Flagg as a higher usage option OFF of an initial action has been paying dividends for Dallas, a team that needs any semblance of coherent offense.
Kon Knueppel, Charlotte Hornets
Week Stats: 3 GP, 26 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.3 SPG, 60.4/48.4/100 Shooting Splits
What more can we say about Kon Knueppel’s offensive game?
He’s been torching every team he’s gone up against, both as a spot-up shooter and driver. His footwork and touch have been superb inside the arc, and he’s continued to seemingly knock down every jumper he looks at.
I don’t recall any rookies in recent memory having a week-long stretch in terms of efficiency as Knueppel has—especially given the fact that LaMelo Ball hasn’t played up to his level of offensive ability, and Brandon Miller only JUST came back from a recent injury.
Everything about his gravity as a shooter that scouts spoke of before the draft has translated into the NBA. He commands attention, and he knows when to pick his spots for himself or pass off a shot to an even better look for a teammate. Kon is doing a bit of everything for the Hornets, team defensive concerns outside of Ryan Kalkbrenner’s interior presence notwithstanding.
VJ Edgecombe, Philadelphia 76ers
Week Stats: 3 GP, 15.7 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.5 SPG, 40.4/31.3/57.1 Shooting Splits
The poor shooting slump for VJ Edgecombe has continued over the last week, but I’ve loved the energy and activity he’s played with everywhere else, especially on the glass.
Edgecombe is doing an excellent job of skying for longer defensive rebounds and then pushing the ball in transition. That’s the most effective way for him to score right now, especially while his spot-up jumper is underwater as an efficient look.
I do worry a bit that Edgecombe is attempting a significant number of threes per game up to this point in the season, but given the minutes load he’s undertaken, and with what’s asked of him defensively, it makes sense to feed him some offensive usage that doesn’t require driving to the basket.
Jared McCain’s insertion back into the rotation has helped Edgecombe play more off the ball, which is a better balance for the offense as a whole. Edgecombe is an ideal “star in his role” as someone who can raise the floor of others by being himself and moving without the ball, not necessarily pulling all of the strings for others, this early on in his career.
Kobe Sanders, LA Clippers
Week Stats: 4 GP, 11.3 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 1.3 APG, 42.4/38.9/100 Shooting Splits
I’m so happy to see someone under the age of 30 get some playing time for the LA Clippers.
For years now, this rotation has been veteran-heavy with few opportunities for any youngsters unless the game has lent itself to utter garbage time.
Kobe Sanders seems to be an exception to the rule, as he’s been incorporated into the rotation as a jumbo shooter who can also score a bit off the bounce.
When Sanders is knocking in threes, a lot of his game makes sense within this Clippers rotation. Without guys like Derrick Jones Jr. in the lineup, this team lacks athleticism and size at the wing position. Sanders checks those boxes, while also having some secondary passing vision and ability to handle the ball if he’s run off his spot.
He’s been a little quiet since his 17-point outing against the Philadelphia 76ers, but I’m keeping an eye on his playing time moving forward. Players who sit at the intersection of size, dribble, pass, and shoot rarely fail outright in the NBA.
David Jones-Garcia, San Antonio Spurs
Week Stats: 2 GP, 7.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.5 SPG, 75.0/100/50.0 Shooting Splits
Out of hundreds of players I got to watch this past summer at NBA Summer League, David Jones-Garcia was one of my favorites to actually see in action for the San Antonio Spurs.
The combo guard/wing just knows how to score the rock, and when he’s able to leverage his downhill nature into easy assists for others? He can get cooking on offense in a hurry.
Jones-Garcia is flat-out crafty when he’s able to get a mismatch on him inside the arc. Against bigs, Jones-Garcia has the footwork and touch to fake and deceive an opponent to lunge one way while he creates an angle going the opposite direction. He’s also well-versed in stopping on a dime and canning a mid-range jumper if enough space is afforded to him.
He didn’t play a ton of minutes in the other game he got run in this week, but against the Atlanta Hawks, he had a worthy performance that deserves a callout. I’ll be monitoring more of his ability to defend on the other side of the floor, but for now, Jones-Garcia has earned some minutes while the Spurs look to get some more players like Dylan Harper back in the mix after returning from injury.
*Each week, I’ll be writing about the top sophomores that stood out to me through film and statistical study. This is NOT a “Sophomore Rank” as that is a separate matter that will be updated at different points throughout the season*
Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets
Week Stats: 3 GP, 18.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.3 SPG, 57.1/52.9/75.0 Shooting Splits
Reed Sheppard continues to be a flamethrower for the Houston Rockets off the bench. He had the best game of his career in an NBA Cup showdown with the Denver Nuggets on Friday night, pouring in jumper after jumper on his way to 27 points with a game +/- of 13.
He’s figured out how to balance his offensive approach, working off Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant. Sheppard has been in the right place at the right time more often than not over the last few weeks, and it’s led to higher-quality shot selection. Sheppard is shooting 48% from deep on the season, and it’s not by accident.
Two key points to monitor with Sheppard: he’s created 92 points out of pick-and-roll possessions including passes per Synergy Sports, with the 1.07 PPP on those reads rating in the 74th percentile. Sheppard is also in the 81st percentile in terms of total defense, with the Rockets winning his minutes on that end of the floor.
If those two things can hold true with increased usage as a ball handler while not compromising the team’s defensive identity, then Reed becomes one of the most important players to driving potential success in the playoffs for Houston.
Donovan Clingan, Portland Trail Blazers
Week Stats: 4 GP, 16.0 PPG, 13.5 RPG, 3.0 APG, 2.3 BPG, 54.3/30.8/83.3 Shooting Splits
Donovan Clingan’s offense isn’t coming off of anything sexy, as most of his shots are created for him off passes or misses that he snags on the offensive glass. But he’s been finishing at a high rate on the interior, while also getting his feet wet in terms of attempting jumpers from the outside.
The area that I’m most encouraged by in terms of where his offense COULD be going is with his recent stretch of free-throw shooting. That touch is what will continue to lead to his transition as someone who can also can an open jumper IF the situation calls for it. Clingan should still spend most of his time on the floor around the basket to offer rebounding support because he’s one of the best in the league at doing so, but in those actions where he’s used as a handoff initiator and high screener, Clingan’s ability to knock in an occasional jumper only further accentuates the offense for the Portland Trail Blazers.
With Clingan acting as a scoring threat in different ways, it’s hard to imagine him not being the team’s anchor moving forward. He’s continued to deter drivers, block shots, and clean the glass at absurd rates. Perhaps no sophomore outside of Alex Sarr has had a better few weeks than Clingan, and it’s gone completely under the radar.
Tristan Da Silva, Orlando Magic
Week Stats: 4 GP, 12.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.0 SPG, 41.7/36.4/50.0 Shooting Splits
The shooting splits haven’t been pretty of late for Tristan Da Silva, but his impact in the lineup in place of Paolo Banchero can’t be overlooked.
Banchero’s injury is a rough spot for the Orlando Magic (or is it?), but having another 6’8” forward with length and shooting upside to bring in off the bench is a luxury to say the least. Da Silva has been awesome as a connective player, and defender on the other end of the floor. He has great instincts as a helper, and times his rotations and communicates well to get into position and cut off driving lanes.
Offensively, having another player who is a real spot-up shooting threat to work off Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane has helped the offense sing. This team has desperately needed spacing, and it’s found a great lineup (arguably my favorite in the NBA right now) with Anthony Black-Bane-Da Silva-Wagner-Wendell Carter. All five of these guys can knock down a spot-up shot, defend their own position, and have passing chops to keep the ball moving. Even with Jalen Suggs as the starting guard, this team has been unselfish since Banchero went out to injury, and it’s led to some awesome net-rating results, and most importantly, wins.
Da Silva isn’t a main reason for the team’s recent success, but he’s played his part even with the mediocre shooting stretch over the last few games. There’s far more to his game than he gets credit for, and he deserves a mention here.
Zach Edey, Memphis Grizzlies
Week Stats: 3 GP, 12.0 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 1.7 APG, 3.0 SPG & BPG, 65.0/100/100 Shooting Splits
Welcome back to the NBA, Zach Edey!
Edey got to make his awaited debut this week, and immediately came in strong on the glass. Edey is a walking double-double because of his size and strength on both ends of the floor, and the Memphis Grizzlies just look a lot more balanced with him in the middle of the floor.
He’s not playing significant minutes for the team, but when he’s on the floor, he’s such an effective release valve for other drivers and shooters. He cleans up misses, offers a high-percentage finisher in the lane, and is so hard to box out and deal with.
Edey won’t ever be perfect defensively, but even in a few moments already this year, he’s taken on the challenge of defending smaller players and has gotten after it. If you dare challenge Edey inside the arc, be prepared to live with the consequences on any shot other than a pull-up jumper if he’s in a deeper drop.
Memphis is a positive when Edey is on the floor for several reasons, and I can’t wait to keep watching him get his legs underneath him and build to showing off other parts of his game that he’s continued to work on.