NBA Insider criticizes Pelicans' draft class headlined by Jeremiah Fears, Derik Queen

The New Orleans Pelicans acquired a trio of prospects in the 2025 NBA Draft with Oklahoma’s Jeremiah Fears, Maryland’s Derik Queen, and Georgetown’s Micah Peavy. However, considering the franchise’s circumstances, ESPN’s Jeremy Woo liked this class the least of them all from the draft last week.

Woo and Jonathan Givony reviewed the draft in an article this weekend, including the topic of their least favorite classes. Woo went with New Orleans starting with the fit that Fears and Queen have alongside two of them team’s top players for next season in Jordan Poole and Zion Williamson. The trade the Pelicans made to move up and take Queen at No. 13 was also noted considering what they gave up with an unprotected first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

“This is less about the talent of players they drafted and more about how the Pelicans invited risk and fit concerns with their string of recent transactions,” Woo wrote. “Fears is a real talent, but him maximizing it in what could be a crowded backcourt with Jordan Poole now in the mix is a concern. And I struggle to see how Queen can share the floor with Zion Williamson in a winning context — neither can shoot from the perimeter or protect the paint at a high level, and they might ultimately get in each other’s way. I’m concerned about the chances either lottery pick gets to use their talents in the situation.”

“Of course, I understand a new front office targeting the guys they like, putting their stamp on the team and figuring out other things later. It would all be a little more palatable had the Pelicans not sold off their own draft pick next year to make it work — a move that places pressure on their current group to take a huge collective step forward,” wrote Woo.

Following the trade, Fears and Queen both ended up as lottery picks as selections at No. 7 and No. 13 respectively. That’s after their freshman seasons with Fears averaging 17.1 points (43.4% FG, 28.4% 3PT on 1.1 makes), 4.1 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game for the Sooners while Queen posted 16.5 points (52.6% FG), 9.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.1 blocks for the Terrapins.

However, the two rookies could be a bit redundant when comparing their games to those of Poole and Williamson. Poole, who New Orleans traded for before the draft last week, is a score-first guard, averaging 19.2 points (43.1% FG on 15.1 FGA, 35.1% 3PT on 2.8 3PM), 4.4 assists, and 2.8 turnovers the past four seasons with Golden State and Washington. Then, Williamson, when healthy, is also similar as a versatile-enough post player with averages of 24.6 points (56.7% FG), 7.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game this past season with just 30 appearances.

With that, On3’s James Fletcher and Jamie Shaw didn’t like either of these selections. Fletcher didn’t grade these picks highly with neither one getting higher than a C-. Shaw was also pessimistic about both of the picks.

The trade for Queen, though, was even less popular around the association because of the first-round pick they gave up to the Atlanta Hawks. It’s unprotected between either the Pelicans or the Milwaukee Bucks with there being decent odds it could be a very valuable pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. That’s what they gave up to move ten spots up to select Queen, with the Hawks going on to take Georgia’s Asa Newell at No. 23 after the swap. That then looks even worse considering it’s new management leading the franchise this offseason, namely with GM Joe Dumars.

Hindsight will tell what this draft class ends up being for the Pelicans, even as early as next summer pending that draft pick in 2026. Still, for now, those across the league don’t seem to love what New Orleans got, including Woo.