New Orleans Pelicans’ Derik Queen Underwent Surgery

The New Orleans Pelicans’ Derik Queen underwent surgery to repair a torn scapholunate ligament in his left wrist. The rookie, 20, will be re-evaluated in 12 weeks. Read on for further details.

Derik Queen Underwent Surgery

ESPN’s Shams Charania posted on X, formerly Twitter, “Pelicans forward/center Derik Queen underwent surgery to repair a torn scapholunate ligament in his left wrist and will be re-evaluated in 12 weeks.” Charania’s post generated mixed reviews on X. One user wrote, “Maybe Dyson Daniels was right after all…,” while another user responded, “He’ll beat that timeline. I guarantee it.”

Player’s Outlook

The New Orleans Pelicans drafted Queen with the No. 13 overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft. He played college basketball at Maryland. He is a center who combines physical strength, advanced footwork, and high-level passing instincts. That is an intriguing skill set for a modern big man.

Final Thoughts

He is likely to miss at least the start of the NBA training camp after undergoing surgery by Dr. Steven Shin in Los Angeles on Friday. Queen suffered a long-term injury while playing in an NBA Summer League game against the Portland Trail Blazers in Las Vegas on Tuesday.

His injury and subsequent surgery can put a damper on the New Orleans Pelicans’ hopes to become a playoff-caliber team next season. The Pelicans’ move could hurt the team. However, there’s a chance that Queen becomes a future Pelicans star, if the Pelicans’ 2026 pick ends up in the teens or later, and everything works out.