The New Orleans Pelicans dropped their ninth straight game on Saturday against the Atlanta Hawks. The loss had additional meaning for both teams as the Pelicans owe their first-round pick to the Hawks in the 2026 NBA Draft, giving Atlanta more of an incentive to beat New Orleans. It also had a deeper significance for Derik Queen, who was traded by the Hawks on draft day in exchange for that pick.
Queen showed why the game meant so much to him, not only by scoring a team-high 20 points, but also by stealing the ball late when the Hawks were dribbling out the clock and dunking on the other end. This angered Hawks players but gave Pelicans fans an insight about the relentless competitor they have in the rookie.
The tension between the sides spilled over to the NFL, as the Atlanta Falcons posted the caption “Marked safe from Derik Queen”, with Ruke Orhorhoro’s celebration after he delivered the game-sealing sack on Tyler Shough in the fourth quarter on Sunday.
Derik Queen Has the Next Hawks Game Marked on His Calendar
Queen didn’t waste any time before responding with “Jan 7th, 2026 at 6:30pm central time,” referring to the next time the Pelicans and the Hawks play. When a fan asked Grok to explain the beef, Queen chimed in and explained it himself, saying, “they traded me on draft night.”
This is exactly why Queen instantly became a fan favorite in New Orleans. He competes, plays until the final buzzer, and has a chip on his shoulder. Despite a ton of pressure to perform after the Pels gave up a very valuable unprotected first-rounder to get him, Queen has not crumbled. Instead, he has continued to improve throughout the season and has already established himself as one of the best young bigs in the league.
The Pelicans are in the midst of another lost season. There isn’t much to be optimistic about other than the Derik Queen-Jeremiah Fears duo. The rookies have been very impressive, and they will be the main reason Pels fans will tune in the rest of the season.
The January game against the Hawks has already become one of the more important games of the season for New Orleans. It will also be a big test for Queen, who will have all the attention and a target on his back. Regardless of how it goes, he will certainly grow from the experience of being “the guy”.
More New Orleans Pelicans Content:
