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Pelicans rookie Derik Queen has already shown why it’s time to trade Zion Williamson

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network
By Aikansh Chaudhary | Last updated Dec 10, 2025 1:00 PM ET

The New Orleans Pelicans have found a star in rookie Derik Queen.

Derik Queen was drafted with the 13th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Although some questioned the New Orleans Pelicans’ decision, the rookie has silenced his critics.

Despite playing the first full NBA season of his career, Queen is breaking records left and right. He has also earned comparisons to the Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic.

What is the ceiling for Derik Queen’s career?

Derik Queen became the youngest-ever New Orleans Pelican with a 25-point triple double!

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But the most important thing that Queen is doing is showing how bad Zion Williamson’s stint has been with the Pelicans.

Derik Queen needs to play just six more games to match Zion Williamson’s tally

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So far, Queen is averaging 12.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game for the Pelicans.

However, the more important thing has been Queen’s availability for the team, as he has already played in 25 games this season.

Comparing Williamson’s total games played in each season of his NBA career shows how poorly the 2019 NBA Draft’s No. 1 overall pick has handled his conditioning.

Zion Williamson: Games Played by Season

Season	Games Played (GP)
2019-20	24
2020-21	61
2021-22	0
2022-23	29
2023-24	70
2024-25	30
2025-26	10
Career Total	224

*Note: Games played for 2025-26 are current as of early December 2025.*

If Queen plays in just six more games this season, he will have played more games in a single season than Williamson has in five out of seven seasons of his NBA career.

New Orleans Pelicans should trade Zion Williamson

This offseason, the Pelicans made some big changes to their roster. However, they still kept Williamson on the team.

Unfortunately, it may be time for the Pelicans to finally move on from Williamson. After all, he has featured in just 10 games this season.

What moves do the New Orleans Pelicans need to make to start improving?

Let us know what you would do if you were in charge of the New Orleans Pelicans?

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Sure, he averaged 22.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game in those 10 appearances, but NOLA needs to focus on developing their young stars.

Now, finding a trade deal for Williamson is a Herculean task for two reasons: Zion’s massive contract and his injury-riddled past.

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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