Zion Williamson’s new frontcourt partner appears to have pulled a Zion Williamson.
New Orleans Pelicans rookie big man Derik Queen has undergone surgery on his left wrist, the team announced on Friday. Queen sustained a torn scapholunate ligament in his wrist during a Summer League contest against the Portland Trail Blazers earlier this week.
The Pelicans add in the release that Queen is now set to be re-evaluated in 12 weeks.
Queen, the 20-year-old former University of Maryland star, went with the No. 13 overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft. The Pelicans traded away the No. 23 overall pick as well as an unprotected first-round pick in 2026 in order to acquire the rights to Queen from the Atlanta Hawks.
But now Queen, who put up 16.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game as a college freshman last season, will be behind the 8-ball to start his NBA career thanks to his wrist surgery. With a 12-week timeline putting him in mid-October at the earliest, Queen will likely miss all of training camp and the preseason and could potentially be sidelined to begain the regular season as well.
Jokes had already flown on draft night because of Queen’s new pairing in New Orleans with Williamson, who is often injured himself. Now some of the fears about Queen have come true, leaving the Pelicans to presumably start off the new season with a center rotation of Yves Missi and the three-time NBA champion whom they just signed in free agency.
