Joe Dumars was Given the reins of the Pelicans franchise in April And barely three months old, things have gone questionable.
New Orleans exchanged the overall choice n ° 23, which has turned into georgia big man asa newellAnd their choice of first round unprotected in 2026 in exchange for selection n ° 13 of the Hawks.
They used this choice to write the Maryland Center Derik Queen – and the experts crush their maneuvers because of the high potential cost in the repechage of next year.
“It was then that I lost my head. I think I escaped. I am so happy that the NBA can always give us these… They send this to Atlanta, who had to be deliciously happy. Like: “We just have to descend 10 places and get an unprotected choice?” The Ringer’s bill said while summarizing the draft on the podcast which bears its name. “It was one of the five most stupid trades of this decade. I was speechless. I can’t believe it. And who is it? He’s our guy Joe Dumars.”
The backlash against the choice does not seem to be as much against Queen, but rather the surrounding factors which could transform this into a disastrous decision.
New Orleans won the fourth largest wins in the League last season with 21 and games in the Western Conference, which should once again have an obscene quantity of talents from top to bottom.
It is not unreasonable to expect New Orleans near the bottom of the League ranking and choose the lottery in 2026.
“They are in the west. What will F – K (Dumars) will happen next year? Does he think they are going to be a seeded? What does he do? ” Simmons asked.
“They should show the Hawks War Salle while the guys remove their shirts and have the champagne burst. They could have the now team’s biggest disorder.”
This trade could be a decisive moment for Dumars in his attempt to rebuild the franchise.
The former Winner of the Title Pistons had previously worked as an executive vice-president and basketball operations chief for the NBA League office before being torn off by the Pélicans.
He has already proclaimed that the franchise will build around the Zion Williamson often injured, Even after rape allegations deposited against him in a trial.
Williamson only played 39.33% of the matches since 2021, including 30 last season.
Pelicans and Dumars clearly believe that their two recruits in Queen and n ° 7 Pick Jeremiah Fears can help the team be more competitive next season.
The queen raised an average of 16.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per game in her first year.
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These two will be invoked to help compensate for the loss of Brandon Ingram, which New Orleans exchanged in Toronto last season.
The Pelicans had the capital project to set up after having acquired the choice n ° 23 among the Pacers during the final of the NBA in exchange for the return of the choice of the first round in 2026 of the Indiana to its original owner.
This choice has instantly become more precious for the Pacers when Tyrese Haliburton has torn his Achilles in match 7 and will probably be lost for the whole season next year.
