What happened: The New Orleans Pelicans are prioritizing a center addition despite having Derik Queen. The pursuit could reshape Queen’s role entering the 2026-27 season.
Why it matters: Adding another center would affect Queen’s minutes and the Pelicans’ frontcourt development plan. Using draft capital would further increase the cost of addressing a position already occupied by a productive young player.
By the numbers: Queen averaged 11.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists across 81 games in 2025-26, starting 48.
What to watch: Watch whether the Pelicans complete a center deal and how the newcomer would fit alongside Queen.