The Atlanta Hawks and New Orleans Pelicans executed a key first-round trade during the 2025 NBA Draft, reshaping their long-term plans.
Atlanta sent the No. 13 pick — used by New Orleans to select Maryland big man Derik Queen — in exchange for the No. 23 pick and a 2026 unprotected first-round selection, which will be the more favorable between the Pelicans and Bucks, according to Shams Charania.
The Pelicans used the acquired 13th pick to add Queen, a 6-foot-9 center who started all 36 games as a freshman at Maryland. He averaged 16.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game on 52.6% shooting.
Queen gives New Orleans a low-post presence with polished footwork and interior scoring, areas the team lacked during a 21-win campaign.
In return, the Hawks moved back 10 spots in the first round to select Georgia forward Asa Newell at No. 23. The 6-foot-10 freshman averaged 15.4 points and 6.9 rebounds while shooting 54.3% from the field for the Bulldogs.
Newell fits Atlanta’s needs for athleticism and defensive versatility in the frontcourt. His ability to stretch the floor slightly better than Queen — despite shooting just 29.2% from three — also aligns with the Hawks’ spacing-oriented offense.
The additional asset in the trade — an unprotected 2026 first-round pick — may prove to be the most valuable piece of the deal. With the Pelicans finishing 14th in the West last season, their future remains uncertain.
Atlanta, which narrowly missed the 2025 playoffs after losing twice in the Play-In Tournament, now adds a high-upside forward in Newell and enhances its draft capital without losing core rotation players.
New Orleans, meanwhile, bet on Queen’s upside to help stabilize a young, rebuilding roster that featured two lottery picks — Queen and Jeremiah Fears — in this class.
