The New Orleans Pelicans first-round pick Derik Queen recently underwent surgery to repair a torn scapholunate ligament in his left wrist. He is scheduled for a re-evaluation in about 12 weeks, as announced by the team on Friday. Queen, selected as the #13 overall pick out of Maryland during the 2025 NBA Draft, sustained the injury while competing against the Portland Trail Blazers earlier this week.

The 12-week recovery period coincides with the start of training camp and the preseason games. The Pelicans acquired Queen by trading up 10 spots, moving from the 23rd to the 13th pick and giving up an unprotected 2026 first-round pick in the process. The team additionally drafted Oklahoma guard Jeremiah Fears with the 7th pick.

In the Las Vegas Summer League, Queen showcased his potential by averaging 14 points, 11 rebounds, and 2.3 assists across three games, with his best performance being against Portland where he scored 17 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and provided 3 assists.