<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/new-orleans-pelicans-2025-nba-draft-grades-every-pick');   ga('set', 'title', 'New Orleans Pelicans 2025 NBA Draft grades for every pick');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Jeremiah-Fears-selected-by-Pelicans.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>New Orleans Pelicans 2025 NBA Draft grades for every pick</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-30T22:09:34-07:00">June 30th, 10:09pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-30T22:09:34-07:00">June 30th, 10:09pm</time><address><a>Jaren Kawada</a>Jaren Kawada is a former full-time sports bettor and is now a NFL, College Football and Betting Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. Kawada was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, but now resides in Indianapolis, Indiana, after graduating from Butler University with a B.A. in sports media. Aside from football, Kawada is an avid combat sports and basketball bettor.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/editorials/pelicans-hawks-trade-grades-2025-nba-draft-deal">New Orleans Pelicans had an eventful couple of nights at the 2025 NBA Draft</a>, sparking a range of opinions from their series of intriguing moves. Despite initially holding just one first-round pick, newly-hired head of basketball operations Joe Dumars ended the process with Jeremiah Fears, Derik Queen and Micah Peavy on his roster.</p><p>Dumars led the Pelicans’ draft war room, along with general manager Bryson Graham. New Orleans made its first move one week before the draft, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/pacers-news-draft-trade-pelicans-before-nba-finals-game-6">trading for the Indiana Pacers’ No. 23 pick</a>. The pick was subsequently used as the main piece of the package that Dumars and Graham sent to the Atlanta Hawks to trade up for Queen.</p><p>Queen was already a prospect whose scouting reports had split opinions, causing the trade to fall under heavy scrutiny. Many doubted Queen as the No. 13 overall pick, and were even less convinced that he was worth trading up to that spot for.</p><p>Regardless, Fears and Queen became two of the most intriguing additions to the Pelicans’ 2025-2026 roster. The young team will return 11 players from the previous season. New Orleans picked up its team option on guard Jordan Hawkins while rejecting those of Elfrid Payton and Brandon Boston Jr.</p><p>With Dumars clearly looking to change the team’s direction, the Pelicans have already become one of the top teams to watch coming out of the 2025 NBA Draft. Given the way they joined the team, Fears and Queen will be two of the most-watched rookies in 2025-2026, with Peavy an intriguing second-round addition.</p><h2><b>Round 1, Pick 7: PG Jeremiah Fears (Oklahoma)</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Jeremiah-Fears-celebrating-made-shot.jpg"><figcaption>Zachary Taft-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Jeremiah Fears went viral on draft night for his iconic jersey number choice, but there is a lot to like about his game. With <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/pelicans-news-dejounte-murray-season-ending-leg-injury-celtics">Dejounte Murray coming off an Achilles injury</a> and CJ McCollum off to the Washington Wizards, the Pelicans have a lot of point guard minutes for Fears to immediately absorb.</p><p>Fears is an interesting prospect, but this is not a team in need of perimeter help. The Pelicans traded McCollum but netted Jordan Poole in return. New Orleans also returns Murray, Hawkins, Jose Alvarado and Antonio Reeves. Even if Murray does not return to form, the team expects sizeable leaps from Hawkins and Reeves in 2025-2026.</p><p>Fears is listed at just 182 pounds, giving him a lot of room to grow into his frame. He gained popularity for his shifty highlight reel at Oklahoma, but similar players tend to take time adjusting to the next level. Fears certainly has the upside worth taking in the lottery, but is more of a long-term project than a day-one contributor.</p><p>There is nothing wrong with gambling on Fears’ upside, but the Pelicans need immediate help. New Orleans went just 21-61 in 2024-2025, missing the playoffs for the fifth time in the last seven years. Without any confidence in Zion Williamson’s availability, the team desperately needs a new star to emerge and lead the franchise. Poole, who is now on his third team in four years, does not seem like the guy.</p><p>Perhaps Fears turns into a superstar, but it will likely not happen right away. He was the best talent on the board at the time the Pelicans selected him, but Fears will likely cause them more growing pains early on than they might be able to handle.</p><p><b>Grade: B-</b></p><h2><b>Round 1, Pick 13: PF/C Derik Queen (Maryland)</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Marylands-Derik-Quee.jpg"><figcaption>Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>In the days following the 2025 NBA Draft, no player has been criticized more than Derik Queen. Despite quietly trotting through the entire pre-draft process, fans let all their opinions out after the Pelicans traded up to draft Queen.</p><p>Criticism aside, Queen was always viewed as the second-best center in the class and was drafted accordingly, taken three spots after Khaman Maluach. Nevertheless, with <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/pelicans-news-yves-missi-making-early-nba-rookie-statement-willie-green">Yves Missi coming off a promising rookie campaign</a>, many did not consider adding another center a worthwhile investment for the Pelicans.</p><p>While Queen’s guard-like skill set makes him one of the most volatile prospects of the draft, there is not much room for him to grow with the Pelicans. Missi proved himself as the team’s starting center in 2025-2026, and Williamson, despite his injury woes, remains a dominant force whenever on the court. Queen will not overtake either guy anytime soon, and both are signed through the 2027-2028 season.</p><p>Unless Queen is willing to accept a Naz Reid-like role, the Pelicans are quickly creating a frontcourt logjam. Queen received many Reid comparisons ahead of the draft, but that role is much more valuable to a contending team than a rebuilding one like New Orleans.</p><p>Queen has elite potential, but the situation Dumars created within the team figures to come back to bite him. The Pelicans seem to view Queen as insurance for another Williamson injury, but the move comes with long-term consequences. In the best-case scenario, Queen delivers on his potential, but creates a messy situation once eligible for an extension. In the worst-case scenario, playing behind Williamson and Missi stunts his growth and shortchanges his career before it can even take off.</p><p><b>Grade: C</b></p><h2><b>Round 2, Pick 40: SG/SF Micah Peavy (Georgetown)</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Georgetown-Hoyas-guard-Micah-Peavy-driving-to-the-basket-against-DePaul-Blue-Demons-guard-Layden-Blocker-during-a-March-matchup-Madison-Square-Garden.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Image</figcaption></figure><p>As a part of Dumars’ <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/pelicans-joe-dumars-making-moves-in-draft-trades" rel="noopener">admitted aggressive approach</a> to the 2025 NBA Draft, he also landed a second-round pick in the McCollum-Poole deal. The pick, No. 40, ultimately turned out to be Georgetown guard Micah Peavy, a selection that raised several eyebrows.</p><p>While Peavy dominated the Big East in 2024-2025, he did so as a fifth-year senior at his third different school. After being nothing more than a mid-tier role player at Texas Tech and TCU, his blow-up came as somewhat of a surprise. Many expected Peavy’s name to be called in the second round, but not as early as it was.</p><p>Peavy will not have the same level of offensive success in the NBA, but his defensive prowess should translate. He has always been a solid defender, but took his game to another level at Georgetown, averaging a career-high 2.3 steals per game with the Hoyas. Peavy also enjoyed a career year from deep — hitting 40 percent of his three-point attempts in 2024-2025 — showing off his three-and-D potential at the next level.</p><p>The Pelicans have no shortage of three-and-D wings, but no team can ever have too many of them in the modern NBA. Peavy, who has only missed seven games in his five-year collegiate career, also provides valuable durability to a team that seems to struggle with injuries as much as any other in the league.</p><p>His age and lack of sustained success deterred several scouts, but Peavy already possesses an NBA-ready physique that makes him potentially ready to contribute immediately. Peavy’s performance in the Summer League and preseason will be telling on how his career pans out. The pick just seemed like a slight reach for a player whom many teams behind the Pelicans likely did not have on their board.</p><p><b>Grade: B-</b></p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

New Orleans Pelicans 2025 NBA Draft grades for every pick

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-jordan-poole-so-lit-message-after-nola-signs-kevon-looney');   ga('set', 'title', 'Jordan Poole’s ‘so lit’ message after Pelicans sign Kevon Looney');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Pelicans-teammates-Jordan-Poole-and-Kevon-Looney-with-Warriors-Stephen-Curry.jpg"><figcaption>© Kyle Terada-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Jordan Poole’s ‘so lit’ message after Pelicans sign Kevon Looney</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-30T21:03:18-07:00">June 30th, 9:03pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-30T21:03:18-07:00">June 30th, 9:03pm</time><address><a href="https://letterboxd.com/splooshpuhrty/films/by/your-rating/">Jedd Pagaduan</a>Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he's a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>After a putrid 2024-25 campaign in which they won just 21 games, the New Orleans Pelicans are looking to return to playoff contention for the upcoming season. To further their cause, they <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-new-orleans-signs-3-time-nba-champion-warriors-free-agency">signed three-time champion Kevon Looney</a> to a two-year, $16 million deal in the first day of free agency, bolstering their frontcourt and giving it the rebounding muscle that they sorely needed.</p><p>The signing of Looney allows the Pelicans to bring along their young big men, Yves Missi and Derik Queen, more slowly. And at such a low cost, this shouldn’t prohibit New Orleans from making other moves to improve the roster. This signing, while crowding their frontcourt even further, is also going to bring some much-needed leadership and level-headedness in the team’s locker room.</p><p>All in all, the Pelicans’ decision to sign Looney should help their cause for the 2025-26 season. And this also reunites Looney with a former teammate of his on the Golden State Warriors in Jordan Poole — someone he won a championship with back in 2022. Poole is <a href="https://twitter.com/DaltonJ_Johnson/status/1939840055633428785" rel="noopener">definitely ecstatic</a> that he’ll be teaming up with a familiar, beloved face.</p><p>“Omg!!! It’s so lit,” Poole wrote as the caption on his Instagram story welcoming Looney to the Big Easy, via Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jordan Poole is very happy to reunite with Kevon Looney <a href="https://t.co/PojEdfnV3N">pic.twitter.com/PojEdfnV3N</a></p><p>— Dalton Johnson (@DaltonJ_Johnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/DaltonJ_Johnson/status/1939840055633428785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/golden-state-warriors/warriors-news-steve-kerr-kevon-looney-role">Looney was a fixture for the Warriors</a> for a decade, but he’s now embarking on a new chapter heading into the start of his 11th season in the NBA. Everyone on the Warriors organization raves about what a good influence Looney is and what a rock he is for the locker room, and he should be a positive influence on a young Pelicans team that lost some leadership after they traded away CJ McCollum (for Poole) earlier this offseason.</p><h2><b>Pelicans reunite former Warriors champs in Kevon Looney and Jordan Poole</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_1491.jpeg"><figcaption>Robert Edwards-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>At the very least, Looney’s exit from the Warriors is graceful, unlike Poole’s. As one would recall, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/golden-state-warriors/warriors-news-draymond-green-surprised-jordan-poole-didnt-move-on-after-punch">Poole was basically forced out of Golden State</a> after they prioritized Draymond Green over him in the aftermath of the punch heard around the world back in 2022.</p><p>Nonetheless, both of them are now aiming to do their part in bringing the Pelicans back to the winning track. Poole and Looney project to be valuable bench pieces for a New Orleans squad that now has considerable depth across all positions.</p><p>Health permitting, the Pelicans look poised to at least compete for a play-in tournament spot in a stacked Western Conference.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Jordan Poole’s ‘so lit’ message after Pelicans sign Kevon Looney

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-new-orleans-signs-3-time-nba-champion-warriors-free-agency');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans sign 3-time NBA champion from Warriors in free agency');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Kevon-Looney.jpg"><figcaption>Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans sign 3-time NBA champion from Warriors in free agency</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-30T17:01:29-07:00">June 30th, 5:01pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-30T17:01:29-07:00">June 30th, 5:01pm</time><address><a>Benedetto Vitale</a>Benedetto Vitale is an avid sports writer who is an expert at covering the NFL, college football, NBA, and UFC. He graduated from the University of Oregon in 2016 with a film degree but has since dedicated his career to sports writing.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Golden State Warriors</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/nba-rumors-pelicans-looming-as-another-potential-jonathan-kuminga-suitor">New Orleans Pelicans managed to find</a> a new center on Monday, with NBA free agency officially open. It appears the club has acquired a former three-time champion who has played for the Golden State Warriors throughout his career.</p><p>Reports indicate that Kevon Looney, who is 29 years old, <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1939825943314657677" rel="noopener">will be signing</a> with the Pelicans on a two-year, $16 million deal, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Looney leaves the Warriors after playing for the club for 10 seasons.</p><p>“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.”</p><p>Looney may have a chance to play a big role in New Orleans. It’s more likely he’ll be a backup option to Yves Missi, who displayed solid potential in his rookie season. But it’s a situation that allows Looney to play a rotational role for a Pelicans team that needed depth at the center position.</p><p>The veteran center played 76 games for the Warriors last season, making him an incredibly durable player in the league. The Pelicans will hope he brings that durability to the roster. He ended the 2024-25 campaign averaging 4.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 0.5 blocks per game while shooting 51.4% from the field and 40.0% from the three-point line.</p><p>This will be the first time in Looney’s career in which he’ll play for a team that isn’t the Warriors. Expect him to bring plenty of experience to the table for a Pelicans team that is still rebuilding.</p><p>Looney isn’t the only big man New Orleans has acquired this offseason. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-derik-queen-sends-warning-amid-nba-draft-criticism">Pelicans traded for Derik Queen</a> out of Maryland immediately after he was selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the No. 13 overall pick. So, New Orleans will have plenty of size down low for next season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans sign 3-time NBA champion from Warriors in free agency

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/nba-rumors-pelicans-looming-as-another-potential-jonathan-kuminga-suitor');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Pelicans ‘looming’ as another potential Jonathan Kuminga suitor');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Jonathan-Kuminga.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Pelicans ‘looming’ as another potential Jonathan Kuminga suitor</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-30T13:44:33-07:00">June 30th, 1:44pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-30T14:20:10-07:00">June 30th, 2:20pm</time><address><a>Malik Brown</a>Malik Brown is a multimedia reporter based in Atlanta who covers the Hawks and Dream for ClutchPoints. Malik has worked in entertainment and sports, and he specializes in the NBA and NFL.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New Orleans <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/pelicans-news-new-orleans-trade-1st-round-picks-hawks-derik-queen">Pelicans are trying to improve their roster</a> this offseason, and they could be <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/the-absolute-latest-nba-free-agency?utm_source=post-email-title&amp;publication_id=392205&amp;post_id=167190832&amp;utm_campaign=email-post-title&amp;isFreemail=false&amp;r=39f60&amp;triedRedirect=true&amp;utm_medium=email" rel="noopener">looking for a specific player</a> to make them better, according to The Stein Line.</p><p>“Jonathan Kuminga’s restricted free agency, by contrast, is expected to be a slowing-moving process in Golden State,” the Stein Line wrote. “It did not appear, as of lunchtime Monday, that the Warriors or Kuminga’s representation had a specific resolution in mind for the 22-year-old forward’s immediate future.</p><p>“The bottom line is that Kuminga is a restricted free agent after the team extended the $7.9 million qualifying offer to him on Saturday, and Golden State does have some control over his future. Kuminga, as expected, won’t be accepting this qualifying offer and will meet with other teams interested in him, in addition to the Warriors, during the free agency period,” Siegel wrote.</p><p>The Pelicans would be an interesting fit for Kuminga, as they’ve made some changes over the past week. First, they made a trade to acquire Jordan Poole from the Washington Wizards, and he should be a nice addition next to the likes of Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, and Herb Jones.</p><p>In the draft, they selected Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen, and they could be solid contributors on the team in their first year. Adding Kuminga would bring more talent to the team, but it most likely will depend on the price.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Pelicans ‘looming’ as another potential Jonathan Kuminga suitor

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-new-orleans-declining-team-option-on-assists-per-minute-leader');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans declining team option on assists-per-minute leader');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Elfrid-Payton.jpg"></figure><h1>Pelicans declining team option on assists-per-minute leader</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-29T15:32:53-07:00">June 29th, 3:32pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-29T15:32:53-07:00">June 29th, 3:32pm</time><address><a>Dylan Fine</a>Dylan Fine focuses on the NFL and NCAA Football for ClutchPoints, in addition to working on the meme team. Dylan is a graduate of Georgetown University and has covered various topics ranging from local politics in the DMV region with DC Voter For Animals to live sporting events in the Long Island and Rochester areas with The Southampton Press and Pickin’Splinters. When he isn't working, he's usually running in preparation for the next annual Turkey Trot.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New Orleans Pelicans are declining a team option on their assists-per-minute leader ahead of free agency. New Orleans is coming off a dismal season, recording just 21 wins in the Western Conference, which should be even more competitive next year. The roster is undergoing significant changes, having already traded Brandon Ingram and recently traded CJ McCollum, while adding several new pieces in the draft.</p><p>This franchise, however, appears to be moving on from a key player from last year. Senior NBA Insider Michael Scotto <a href="https://x.com/MikeAScotto/status/1939400854869835821" rel="noopener">confirmed the</a> latest report.</p><p>“New Orleans Pelicans will decline the $3.15 million team option on Elfrid Payton, sources told @hoopshype. Payton led the NBA in assists per minute this season (.33) per @statmuse ahead of Trae Young (.32) and Nikola Jokic (.28). Payton is expected to have interest in free agency.”</p><p>The 31-year-old has worked his way back to the NBA after a few years in the G-League. Payton has been a pro for over a decade and continually showcased his talents as an excellent playmaker. Meanwhile, New Orleans is <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-stephen-a-smith-calls-jeremiah-fears-the-second-coming-of-kyrie-irving">bringing in Oklahoma standout Jeremiah Fears</a>, who is expected to be the new floor general. The No. 7 pick is an incredible talent at the position, possessing the skillset to become an All-Star in the near future.</p><p>New Orleans also made the bold decision to trade an unprotected first-round <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-new-orleans-trade-1st-round-picks-hawks-derik-queen">Big Ten Freshman of the Year Derik Queen</a> at No. 13, while also drafting First-team All-Big East forward Micah Peavy with the No. 40 overall pick. All three of these players have the ability to contribute right away, and they’ll need to if the Pelicans want to make it back to the postseason.</p><p>Of course, there is the looming shadow of Zion Williamson’s health status, but even outside of the forward, the roster has enough talent to increase its win total significantly. It won’t be easy in the West, especially with several teams, such as the San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers, who were not even in the Play-In this past season, now expecting to contend for postseason slots in the 2025-26 season. And should Payton leave, someone will have to step up, as this roster continues to go through a youth movement. There are still plenty of reasons for fans to be excited despite the recent disappointment.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans declining team option on assists-per-minute leader

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-jeff-teague-grim-zion-williamson-retirement-prediction');   ga('set', 'title', 'Jeff Teague makes grim retirement prediction for Pelicans’ Zion Williamson');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Williamson-vs-the-Timberwolves.jpg"><figcaption>Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Jeff Teague makes grim retirement prediction for Pelicans’ Zion Williamson</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-29T10:32:40-07:00">June 29th, 10:32am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-29T10:32:40-07:00">June 29th, 10:32am</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University senior from Atlanta on track to graduate with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/bill-simmons-calls-pelicans-draft-trade-with-hawks-one-of-dumbest-of-decade">New Orleans Pelicans have had</a> a busy offseason so far, recently <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-stephen-a-smith-calls-jeremiah-fears-the-second-coming-of-kyrie-irving">drafting both Jeremiah Fears</a> and Derik Queen in the first round of the NBA Draft to try to kickstart their franchise. The Pelicans are coming off of a disastrous 2024-25 season in which they finished with the second worst record in the Western Conference, thanks in no small part due to injury.</p><p>While most teams may be able to chalk that up to an unlucky year, the injury concern is perpetually hanging over the Pelicans’ heads due to the presence of Zion Williamson on their roster.</p><p>Williamson has missed more games than he has played so far in his five-year NBA career, and recently, former NBA All-Star point guard Jeff Teague made <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=69&amp;v=8ENOgTmLHVM&amp;feature=youtu.be" rel="noopener">a grim prediction</a> about Williamson’s future.</p><p>“He isn’t going to ever play. Like Zion’s going to retire in two years. Bro, you think he’s going to play until he’s 30?” wondered Teague, via his Club 520 podcast.</p><p>Teague then clarified that he would give Williamson “four years max.”</p><p>Williamson has dealt with a wide array of injuries throughout his career but remains one of the game’s most unique players when he is on the floor.</p><h2><b>A consequential season for the Pelicans</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Jeremiah-Fears-selected-by-Pelicans.jpg"><figcaption>© Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>In order to draft Derik Queen in the first round, newly minted Pelicans general manager and NBA Hall of Famer Joe Dumars traded away the team’s right to swap picks with the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2026 draft, meaning that whoever has the more favorable of those two picks next year will see that selection be shipped to the Atlanta Hawks.</p><p>It was a hefty price to pay to draft Queen, whose fit next to Williamson would appear to be suspect on paper.</p><p>Teams generally don’t trade unprotected first round picks unless they are quite confident that they will be a good team in the ensuing year, and it’s unclear where that confidence is coming from for Dumars, as the Pelicans have several injury red flags on their roster and also will play at least part of the season without starting point guard Dejounte Murray.</p><p>Still, sometimes swinging for the fences can pay off.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Jeff Teague makes grim retirement prediction for Pelicans’ Zion Williamson

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-derik-queen-sends-warning-amid-nba-draft-criticism');   ga('set', 'title', 'Derik Queen sends warning amid NBA Draft criticism');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Derik-Queen-NBA-Draft.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Derik Queen sends warning amid NBA Draft criticism</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-28T16:45:36-07:00">June 28th, 4:45pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-28T16:45:36-07:00">June 28th, 4:45pm</time><address><a>Lorenzo J Reyna</a>Lorenzo J Reyna is an Associate Editor covering the NFL and NCAA Football for ClutchPoints. He's equipped with past experience for both realms through his recent stops at Pro Football Network and Heavy while also writing for 247Sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Derik Queen walked out of NBA Draft night fueling the future of New Orleans Pelicans basketball. But he walked into criticism as well.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-derik-queen-bold-claim-nba-draft">The Pelicans traded up to No. 13 to grab the Maryland star</a> on Wednesday. NBA legend Joe Dumars helped facilitate the move in the Pelicans’ draft room. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-stephen-a-smith-calls-jeremiah-fears-the-second-coming-of-kyrie-irving">Yet it was Jeremiah Fears who drew more praise</a> compared to Queen.</p><p>Bill Simmons of The Ringer <a href="https://x.com/ringer/status/1938128519437091274" rel="noopener">scoffed at the trade</a> to nab Queen. Saying “this was one of the five dumbest trades of this decade.” One NBA exec even told The Athletic’s John Hollinger that he’d rather be the team that earned AJ Dybantsa <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6452680/2025/06/26/new-orleans-pelicans-trade-draft-derik-queen/" rel="noopener">in this move</a>.</p><p>Queen since broke his silence about the draft night criticism. By dropping this stern warning to the rest of the league Saturday.</p><p>“I don’t think anyone in that class is ever going to be better than me,” Queen began. “Most of those guys I beat on in high school… Just beat on them next year and make Joe [Dumars] look like a genius.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"Definitely… I don't think anyone in that class is ever going to be better than me… Most of those guys I beat on in high school… Just beat on them next year &amp; make Joe [Dumars] look like a genius."  </p><p>Derik Queen on the draft-night trade criticism.<a href="https://t.co/PdWUpRsozF">pic.twitter.com/PdWUpRsozF</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1939101419568800203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Queen is clearly using the harsh critique as fuel for a breakout rookie season. He managed to win over one NBA champion, though.</p><h2><b>Pelicans’ Derik Queen earned huge comparison by NBA title winner </b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Derik-Queen-with-Maryland.jpg"><figcaption>Eakin Howard-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Count former Boston Celtics NBA title winner and ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins as one who loves Queen’s game.</p><p>The 2008 league champion even dropped this comparison: <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-kendrick-perkins-embraces-baby-jokic-comp-derik-queen">Perkins called Queen a Nikola Jokic type</a>. The same Jokic who won the 2022-2023 season NBA title with the Denver Nuggets. Perkins also compared Queen to Houston Rockets star Alperen Sengun.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"Derik Queen has the potential upside of a [Alperen] Sengun/Baby Jokic. That's how skilled he is."</p><p> — Kendrick Perkins 🙌<a href="https://t.co/0dgJXf6xyH">pic.twitter.com/0dgJXf6xyH</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1938327241080844759?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Dumars, meanwhile, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-joe-dumars-sounds-off-derik-queen-trade-getting-panned">defended the decision to trade up for Queen</a>.</p><p>”‘When you identify a player that you think, this can be one of the foundation (pieces) here, you go and get him.’ That’s what we did,” Dumars said to reporters. “We targeted Queen.”</p><p>New Orleans will now build with a 6-foot-10 forward who delivered 16.5 points per game during his freshman campaign. Which became his first and only college basketball season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Derik Queen sends warning amid NBA Draft criticism

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-kendrick-perkins-embraces-baby-jokic-comp-derik-queen');   ga('set', 'title', 'Kendrick Perkins embraces ‘Baby Jokic’ comp for Pelicans’ Derik Queen');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Derik-Queen-stands-with-NBA-commissioner-Adam-Silver.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Kendrick Perkins embraces ‘Baby Jokic’ comp for Pelicans’ Derik Queen</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-26T19:15:19-07:00">June 26th, 7:15pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-26T19:15:19-07:00">June 26th, 7:15pm</time><address><a>Richard Pereira</a>Richard Pereira joined ClutchPoints in January 2025 as an Associate Editor. He earned his degree from Florida Atlantic University in 2023 and has been covering the school's athletic programs since 2020, having served as a Sports Editor at the FAU University Press. He was granted the unique opportunity to report on the men's basketball team's journey to the Final Four in Houston for FAU Owls Nest during March Madness, consistently striving to grow as a sports journalist.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Kendrick Perkins had an intriguing take to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/pelicans-news-new-orleans-trade-1st-round-picks-hawks-derik-queen">share about New Orleans Pelicans draftee Derik Queen</a>.</p><p>The Atlanta Hawks selected Queen with the 13th pick of the 2025 NBA Draft during the first round on Wednesday night. However, they sent him to New Orleans in exchange for picks, giving him a unique start to his NBA career. He comes from the Maryland Terrapins, having a successful collegiate career as he showcased his high-level skillset as a big man.</p><p>Perkins was present at Barclays Center throughout the draft coverage on Wednesday. In the aftermath of the first round, the ESPN analyst <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1938327241080844759" rel="noopener">gave his thoughts on the young center’s upside</a> with a star comparison during NBA Today.</p><p>“Derik Queen has the potential upside of a [Alperen] Sengun/Baby Jokic. That’s how skilled he is,” Perkins said.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">“Derik Queen has the potential upside of a [Alperen] Sengun/Baby Jokic. That’s how skilled he is.”</p><p>— Kendrick Perkins 🙌<a href="https://t.co/0dgJXf6xyH">pic.twitter.com/0dgJXf6xyH</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1938327241080844759?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><h2><b>What’s next for Derik Queen, Pelicans</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Derik-Queen_973da4.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>A bold take for Kendrick Perkins to make about Derik Queen, but the Pelicans certainly see star potential in him.</p><p>Queen garnered national recognition during the 2025 NCAA Tournament with the Maryland Terrapins. He notably knocked down a game-winning shot at the buzzer to lead his team to the 72-71 win over the Colorado State Rams, reaching the Sweet 16.</p><p>Queen averaged 16.5 points, nine rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game. He shot 52.6% from the field, including 20% from beyond the arc, and 76.6% from the free-throw line. His efforts helped him win the Big Ten Freshman of the Year Award while landing on the All-Big Ten first team.</p><p>The Pelicans continue to retool their roster, especially after trading veteran guard CJ McCollum to the Washington Wizards for Jordan Poole. It’s clear that they are going younger with their roster as they look to make a new spark with Zion Williamson remaining their franchise player.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Kendrick Perkins embraces ‘Baby Jokic’ comp for Pelicans’ Derik Queen

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-shams-charania-claps-back-at-bill-simmons-over-derik-queen-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'Shams Charania claps back at Bill Simmons over Derik Queen-Pelicans trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Pelicans-center-Derik-Queen.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Shams Charania claps back at Bill Simmons over Derik Queen-Pelicans trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-26T12:44:44-07:00">June 26th, 12:44pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-26T12:44:44-07:00">June 26th, 12:44pm</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Shams Charania <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zBDU8iFV3M&amp;t=475s" rel="noopener">responded to sharp criticism</a> from NBA analyst Bill Simmons regarding the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-joe-dumars-sounds-off-derik-queen-trade-getting-panned">New Orleans Pelicans’ draft-night trade for Maryland center Derik Queen</a>. The exchange drew additional attention after the Pelicans themselves joined the discussion on social media, defending their decision with a pointed remark aimed at Simmons.</p><p>During the first night of the 2025 NBA Draft, the Pelicans traded the No. 23 overall pick — used to select Asa Newell — and an unprotected 2026 first-round pick (whichever is better between New Orleans or Milwaukee’s) to the Atlanta Hawks in order to move up to No. 13 and select Queen. The move drew backlash from Simmons, who called it “<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/bill-simmons-calls-pelicans-draft-trade-with-hawks-one-of-dumbest-of-decade">one of the five dumbest trades of this decade</a>” on The Bill Simmons Podcast.</p><p>Simmons questioned the wisdom of surrendering an unprotected future first-round pick in a highly competitive Western Conference, arguing the 2026 pick could become a valuable lottery selection given the Pelicans’ current roster state.</p><p>Charania addressed the criticism during Thursday’s episode of The Pat McAfee Show, hours before the draft’s second night.</p><p>“How can you judge that? What if he ends up being a Hall of Famer? What if he ends up being a perennial All-Star?” Charania said. “Then no one is going to be talking about this in three years. So clearly Joe Dumars, Troy Weaver, that organization—they felt very confident in the player that Derik Queen is. Only time will tell how that is.”</p><h2><b>Pelicans fire back on social media after Shams defends Derik Queen trade</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Derik-Queen-1.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images.</figcaption></figure><p>Queen, 20, averaged 16.5 points, nine rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.1 blocks, and 1.1 steals per game on 52.6% shooting in his lone season at Maryland. His size and interior skill set helped him rise in pre-draft evaluations.</p><p>Shortly after Charania’s comments aired, the Pelicans’ official account posted to X, formerly known as Twitter:</p><p>“This rational take won’t get you a Ringer pod, Shams.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">This rational take won’t get you a Ringer pod, Shams <a href="https://t.co/G4PBfbeLTl">https://t.co/G4PBfbeLTl</a></p><p>— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/PelicansNBA/status/1938310842791153854?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><br>The post served as a direct jab at Simmons, who founded The Ringer and whose criticism of the trade sparked the debate.</p></figure><p>Troy Weaver, the Pelicans’ general manager, shares a regional connection with Queen as both are from the Baltimore–Washington D.C. area, which may have factored into New Orleans’ confidence in the selection.</p><p>The Pelicans also selected guard Jeremiah Fears out of Oklahoma with the No. 7 pick. With new executive vice president Joe Dumars leading the front office, the team is expected to continue retooling following a 21-61 season.</p><p>The 2025 NBA Draft continues Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Shams Charania claps back at Bill Simmons over Derik Queen-Pelicans trade

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/bill-simmons-calls-pelicans-draft-trade-with-hawks-one-of-dumbest-of-decade');   ga('set', 'title', 'Bill Simmons calls Pelicans’ draft trade with Hawks one of ‘dumbest of decade’');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Pelicans-Bill-Simmons-calls-draft-trade-Hawks-dumbest-decade.jpg"><figcaption>© Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Bill Simmons calls Pelicans’ draft trade with Hawks one of ‘dumbest of decade’</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-26T10:46:33-07:00">June 26th, 10:46am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-26T10:46:33-07:00">June 26th, 10:46am</time><address><a>Preston Byers</a>Preston Byers is an experienced writer and journalist who currently serves as an associate editor for ClutchPoints and as a staff writer at The Vindicator and Tribune Chronicle, where he covers sports in the Mahoning Valley. Previously, Preston worked as an associate editor for Dot Esports and a site expert for FanSided's Union and Blue.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Hawks</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New Orleans Pelicans stunned fans and media members alike on Wednesday with a draft-night trade — and not in a good way.</p><p>Despite being one of the NBA’s worst teams this past season, the Pelicans, in a move not seen often by bottom dwellers, traded away future draft capital to get back into the lottery Wednesday night. New Orleans ultimately traded the Indiana Pacers’ 2026 first-round pick back to Indiana in exchange for the No. 23 overall pick last night. The Pelicans then turned the 23rd pick into the Atlanta Hawks’ 13th selection when they shockingly threw in either their pick or the Milwaukee Bucks’ pick next year. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-new-orleans-trade-1st-round-picks-hawks-derik-queen" rel="noopener">They used the 13th pick to draft Derik Queen.</a></p><p>With no protections and considering it is the most favorable pick of the two teams, the Pelicans could have inadvertently traded away one of the best picks in the 2026 draft. And Bill Simmons is <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLWsd-yumNu/?igsh=MXJ5ajRoYWl1ejI4bg%3D%3D" rel="noopener">not going to let them</a> forget it.</p><p>“This was when I lost my mind. I think I blacked out,” Simmons said on the ‘Bill Simmons Podcast’ last night. “I’m so glad the NBA can still give us these. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/pelicans-hawks-trade-grades-2025-nba-draft-deal">New Orleans trades up 10 spots so they can take Derik Queen</a>. And they give up their unprotected 2026 first-round pick swap that they have with Milwaukee, where they have the favorable — whatever the better pick is, they keep. They send that to Atlanta, who had to be deliriously happy. Like, ‘We only have to move down 10 spots and we get an unprotected…’ This was one of the five dumbest trades of this decade. I was speechless! I just can’t believe it. And who is it? It’s our guy, Joe Dumars. And now he just traded away their unprotected 2026 pick… They’re in the West. What the f–k does he thinks is going to happen next year?”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="instagram-media"><div style="padding: 16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLWsd-yumNu/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> <div style="display: flex;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div><div style="display: flex;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div><div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"><div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div><div style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 14px;"><div><div></div><div></div><div></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div><div></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"><div></div><div></div><div></div></div></div><div style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 24px;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div><p></p></a><p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLWsd-yumNu/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by The Ringer (@ringer)</a></p></div></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-joe-dumars-sounds-off-derik-queen-trade-getting-panned">Dumars, who defended the trade for the pick used to draft Queen</a>, joined the organization earlier this offseason, shortly after David Griffin was fired as president of basketball operations. He was most recently working in the NBA league office, and before that, was a longtime executive with the Detroit Pistons.</p><p>The Pelicans would seemingly be among the worst teams in the NBA next season, particularly with major questions surrounding Zion Williamson and Dejounte Murray, both of whom missed extensive time this past season due to injury.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Bill Simmons calls Pelicans’ draft trade with Hawks one of ‘dumbest of decade’

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-joe-dumars-sounds-off-derik-queen-trade-getting-panned');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans’ Joe Dumars sounds off on Derik Queen trade that’s getting panned');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Pelicans-center-Derik-Queen.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans’ Joe Dumars sounds off on Derik Queen trade that’s getting panned</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-26T10:03:10-07:00">June 26th, 10:03am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-26T10:03:10-07:00">June 26th, 10:03am</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>After the NBA Draft, New Orleans Pelicans head of basketball operations Joe Dumars defended his deal with the Atlanta Hawks, as the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-derik-queen-bold-claim-nba-draft">Pelicans traded for Derik Queen at No. 13</a> on Wednesday. While addressing other pressing matters, such as <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-joe-dumars-breaks-silence-dejounte-murray-calling-out-organization">Dejounte Murray calling out the organization in a podcast</a>, Dumars revealed how New Orleans feels about its promising new prospect.</p><p>For Dumars, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFTl967wptg" rel="noopener">the trade was a no-brainer</a> on draft night, as he explained what the Pelicans saw in the Maryland product and what he told his staff members before pulling the trigger on a move with the Hawks for Derik Queen.</p><p>”‘When you identify a player that you think, this can be one of the foundation (pieces) here, you go and get him.’ That’s what we did,” Dumars said. “We targeted Queen.”</p><p>Drawing comparisons to Houston Rockets All-Star Alperen Sengun, Minnesota Timberwolves’ Julius Randle, and sixth man, Naz Reid, Queen is projected to be a very skilled big man. Still, the price the Pelicans paid, their first-round pick at No. 23 (Asa Newell), an unprotected 2026 first-round pick, to select Queen at No. 13, has been a topic of debate the morning after the first round of the NBA Draft on Wednesday.</p><h2><b>Joe Dumars reacts to Dejounte Murray calling out the Pelicans</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Pelicans-guard-Dejounte-Murray-2.jpg"><figcaption>Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Pelicans head of basketball operations Joe Dumars responded to Dejounte Murray’s criticism of the organization not helping him amid a trying 2024-25 campaign. Dealing with family loss and other complications in his personal life, Murray says not being able to use the team’s facilities amid rehab from a season-ending ruptured Achilles only made matters worse.</p><p>“He and I had a really good conversation the next morning,” Dumars said. “I asked him, ‘Tell me what’s happening,’ and we had a good, long talk. It won’t be a problem this year. And sometimes, when things like that happen, it’s an opportunity — an opportunity to get better as an organization. I called in the medical staff and said, ‘Let’s talk about DeJounte’s interview. What part of this can we get better at?’</p><p>“I’ve been in the league long enough to know: you don’t bury your head. You tackle it head-on. I said, ‘Okay, DeJounte, talk to me—what’s happening?’ Then I turned to the medical staff: ‘Talk to me —what’s going on? Why is he saying this? What’s behind it?’ You deal with it directly. You don’t duck it. You don’t run from it,” Dumars concluded.</p><p>Dumars will continue to mend Murray’s relationship with the Pelicans organization.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans’ Joe Dumars sounds off on Derik Queen trade that’s getting panned

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-joe-dumars-breaks-silence-dejounte-murray-calling-out-organization');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans’ Joe Dumars breaks silence on Dejounte Murray calling out organization');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Pelicans-guard-Dejounte-Murray.jpg"><figcaption>Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans’ Joe Dumars breaks silence on Dejounte Murray calling out organization</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-26T07:15:20-07:00">June 26th, 7:15am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-27T14:40:41-07:00">June 27th, 2:40pm</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>After New Orleans Pelicans guard <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-dejounte-murray-blasts-franchise-trying-season">Dejounte Murray sounded off on his front office</a> after a trying 2024-25 campaign, Pelicans head of basketball operations Joe Dumars responded to the harsh remarks. After a busy draft night, where <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-derik-queen-bold-claim-nba-draft">Dumars traded for Derik Queen at No. 13</a> with the Atlanta Hawks, New Orleans addressed its relationship with Murray following his recent remarks.</p><p>Dumars says <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFTl967wptg" rel="noopener">he reached out</a> to Murray personally.</p><p>“He and I had a really good conversation. We talked the next morning,” Dumars said. “I asked him, ‘Tell me what’s happening,’ and we had a good, long talk. It won’t be a problem this year.</p><p>“And sometimes, when things like that happen, it’s an opportunity — an opportunity to get better as an organization. I called in the medical staff and said, ‘Let’s talk about DeJounte’s interview. What part of this can we get better at?’</p><p>“I’ve been in the league long enough to know you don’t bury your head. You tackle it head on. I said, ‘Okay, DeJounte, talk to me— what’s happening?’ Then I turned to the medical staff: ‘Talk to me—what’s going on? Why is he saying this? What’s behind it?’ You deal with it directly. You don’t duck it. You don’t run from it,” Dumars concluded.</p><p>Murray had a difficult season and says the Pelicans didn’t help him get through the difficulties, including rehabilitation. He suffered a season-ending ruptured Achilles tendon injury.</p><h2><b>Dejounte Murray blasts Pelicans organization for 2024-25 campaign</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Pelicans-guard-Dejounte-Murray-1.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray dealt with a death and other health scares to some of his closest family members, including his mother, during the regular season. Murray says the Pelicans organization failed him throughout this time, especially when it came to utilizing some of the NBA’s basic resources, such as booking court time.</p><p>Murray called out the Pelicans <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyrl_4Q1tLA" rel="noopener">when he was a guest</a> on The Pivot podcast.</p><p>“It was a situation where, like, I got all these problems going on,” Murray said. “I broke my hand. I’m recovering. My mom had a stroke. One of my cousins got killed. Then my uncle overdosed… [During all this], I’m not getting what I need in the organization.</p><p>“It’s hard for me to get my training time; it’s hard for me to get lifts; it’s hard for me to get my own court time. So you can only imagine where my mental was at.”</p><p>Dumars says things are much better between the front office and Murray and that he will look into Dejounte’s complaints.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

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• Kendrick Perkins embraces ‘Baby Jokic’ comp for Pelicans’ Derik Queen

• Shams Charania claps back at Bill Simmons over Derik Queen-Pelicans trade

• Bill Simmons calls Pelicans’ draft trade with Hawks one of ‘dumbest of decade’

• Pelicans’ Joe Dumars sounds off on Derik Queen trade that’s getting panned

• Pelicans’ Joe Dumars breaks silence on Dejounte Murray calling out organization

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Derik Queen sends warning amid NBA Draft criticism

• Kendrick Perkins embraces ‘Baby Jokic’ comp for Pelicans’ Derik Queen

• Shams Charania claps back at Bill Simmons over Derik Queen-Pelicans trade

• Bill Simmons calls Pelicans’ draft trade with Hawks one of ‘dumbest of decade’

• Pelicans’ Joe Dumars sounds off on Derik Queen trade that’s getting panned

• Pelicans’ Joe Dumars breaks silence on Dejounte Murray calling out organization

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