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New Orleans Pelicans Rookie Derik Queen Undergoes Wrist Surgery

Grant AfsethGrant Afsethno comment
Derik Queen, New Orleans Pelicans, NBA
Photo via New Orleans Pelicans

New Orleans Pelicans forward/center Derik Queen underwent successful surgery to repair a torn scapholunate ligament in his left wrist, the team announced Friday.

Dr. Steven Shin performed the procedure earlier in the day in Los Angeles. Queen sustained the injury during Monday’s NBA Summer League game against the Portland Trail Blazers in Las Vegas. He will be re-evaluated in approximately 12 weeks, which puts his availability for the start of the 2025–26 regular season in doubt.

Queen, the No. 13 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, was acquired by New Orleans in a draft-night trade with the Atlanta Hawks. The Pelicans sent the No. 23 pick and an unprotected 2026 first-rounder—whichever is most favorable between New Orleans and Milwaukee—to move up and select the Maryland standout.

In three Summer League appearances, Queen averaged 14.0 points and led all players in rebounds (11.0) while also recording 5.7 turnovers per game. As a freshman at Maryland, he posted 16.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.1 blocks across 36 games, helping the Terrapins reach the Sweet 16.

A torn scapholunate ligament typically requires multiple months of recovery. Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams and Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller are among recent NBA players who have undergone similar procedures. Miller had season-ending wrist surgery in January after suffering the same injury.

Queen joins a growing list of Pelicans players recovering from major injuries. Dejounte Murray is rehabbing from a torn Achilles, while Herbert Jones and Trey Murphy III each had shoulder surgeries during the second half of last season. Training camp for New Orleans is set to begin in just over 10 weeks.

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Tags :Dejounte MurrayDerik QueenHerbert JonesNBA Draft 2025NBA Summer LeagueNew Orleans PelicansPelicans injuriesTrey Murphy

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Grant Afseth

Grant Afseth

Senior Writer
Grant Afseth is a Senior Writer for DallasHoopsJournal.com, where he leads in-depth coverage of the Mavericks, Wings, and more. Between a focus on the latest news, closer looks at games, front office strategy, and more, Afseth provides objective coverage. Afseth contributes broader NBA coverage across platforms and has been cited in national outlets for his reporting and analysis. With nearly a decade of journalism experience, Afseth has covered the NBA and WNBA for multiple major outlets, including Athlon Sports, BallIsLife, Sportskeeda, and RG.org. He previously reported on the Indiana Pacers for CNHI’s Kokomo Tribune and the Mavericks for FanNation.
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