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Jun 25, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Derik Queen reacts on stage after being selected as the 13th pick by the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Was The Hawks-Pelicans Draft Night Trade The Boldest Move of the NBA Offseason Or The Worst?

Originally posted on Atlanta Hawks on SI
By Jackson Caudell | Last updated Aug 30, 2025 12:00 PM ET

The Atlanta Hawks are not usually the team that gets praise for their offseason prowess and decision making, but you would be hard-pressed to find someone who follows the NBA who does not like what the Hawks have done this offseason.

Things got started with the big three-team trade that landed the Hawks Kristaps Porzingis and they continued into the actual free agent period. Atlanta signed arguably the top free agent on the market when they inked former Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker to a four-year $62 million deal and then free agent sharpshooter Luke Kennard signed a one-year 11$ million deal.

The biggest move for the Hawks, though, was on draft night. After trading the No. 22 pick to the Nets in the Kristaps Porzingis trade, Atlanta was left with the No. 13 pick in the draft. The Hawks were able to move back from 13 to 23 in a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans, and in return, the Hawks got an unprotected 2026 first-round pick that will be the most favorable of New Orleans or Milwaukee. There is a chance that the pick ends up being a top-five or higher selection. It was a stunning trade that left the NBA world speechless.

Worst move of the offseason?

Depending on who you ask, the Hawks-Pelicans trade is either the boldest of the offseason or one of the worst trades in recent memory (non-Luka Doncic edition). Both things have been said and in a recent article, Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus named the trade the boldest move of the offseason:

"The New Orleans Pelicans stunned the league by trading an unprotected first-round pick in 2026 to the Atlanta Hawks (the higher between the Milwaukee Bucks and Pelicans) to move up from No. 23 to No. 13 to acquire Derik Queen.

With health, the Pelicans may be better this coming season than last year's 21-win disaster, but if they're not? The Bucks should have at least a top-8 team in the East, but if Giannis Antetokounmpo misses any time (or asks to be traded), Milwaukee could fall off the map entirely.

Fundamentally, the Pelicans are gambling that Queen, a 6'10" center out of Maryland, will have a better career than a chance at a top pick in 2026 with prospects like AJ Dybantsa (BYU), Cameron Boozer (Duke), Darryn Peterson (Kansas), and Nate Ament (Tennessee), etc. Even if New Orleans doesn't want to take the lottery risk, couldn't the franchise trade it later when it has a better sense of its fortune?

No, the Pelicans believe in Queen, their roster upgrades (including Jordan Poole from the Washington Wizards), and that the Bucks won't be a lottery factor. If it's the right choice, it's one that had nearly the entire NBA world buzzing in June for sheer boldness."

A widely panned move

There has been a lot of reaction to the trade, including from Bill Simmons, who had called the trade one of the five worst in the decade:

"New Orleans trades up ten spots so they can get Derik Queen and they give up their unprotected 2026 first round pick swap that they have with Milwaukee, they have the favorable, whatever pick it is they keep. They send that to Atlanta, who had to be deliriously happy, this was one of the five dumbest trades of this decade, I was speechless."

“This was one of the five dumbest trades of this decade.”@BillSimmons was SPEECHLESS after the Pelicans traded away a 2026 unprotected first-round pick to move up 10 spots. pic.twitter.com/GpV3N53eBW
— The Ringer (@ringer) June 26, 2025

This move could potentially land the Hawks a top-five selection in next year's draft and the organization could end up getting another young cornerstone for one of the most talented teams in the Eastern Conference.