New Orleans Pelicans hit back at Bill Simmons after he tore into trade-up move for Derik Queen

Backlash to Pelicans pick

There was heavy criticism of the New Orleans Pelicans’ decision, including a blast from NBA analyst Bill Simmons.

Simmons told his podcast: “This was one of the five dumbest trades of this decade.”

Simmons was not alone, with First Things First host Nick Wright branding the New Orleans Pelicans’ decision as ‘reckless’.

He said: “That might be the most reckless draft day trade I’ve seen in five years. With absolutely no due respect, who the hell do New Orleans think they are?”

In defense of the Pelicans selection

Speaking on the Pat McAfee Show, ESPN’s Shams Charania attempted to provide a more balanced view, praising the potential of Derik Queen.

He said: “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? Then no one is going to be talking about this in 3 years.. To me it’s too early to judge if they won or lost.”

And this prompted a response from the New Orleans Pelicans’ X feed, who took a shot at Simmons’, posting: “This rational take won’t get you a Ringer pod, Shams.”

How Joe Dumars explained the decision

The New Orleans Pelicans have a different face steering the wheel this offseason, with new general manager Joe Dumars making an immediate impact.

Dumars said he was blown away by Derik Queen’s potential, commenting: “This is a super, super, high IQ guy.

“He finds people, he has the mentality of a guard, and will push it up. He’s got unique skills for a 6’10” kid. That really appealed to me, to have someone on the court like that.

“You call those guys connectors. He can connect everybody on the court with the way he plays. Super unselfish. You win with guys like that.”