Bill Simmons eviscerates Pelicans for one of the dumbest NBA draft trades

Joe Dumars was given the reins to the Pelicans franchise in April and just three months in, things are off to a dubious start.New Orleans traded the No.23 overall pick, which turned into Georgia big man Asa Newell, and their 2026 unprotected first-round pick in exchange for the Hawks’ No.

13 selection.They used that pick to draft Maryland center Derik Queen — and pundits are crushing their maneuvering due to the potential steep cost in next year’s draft.“This is when I lost my mind.I think I blacked out.

I’m so glad the NBA can still give us these … They send that to Atlanta, who had to be deliriously happy.Like, ‘We only have to move down 10 spots and we get an unprotected pick?” The Ringer’s Bill Simmons said while recapping the draft on the podcast that bears his name.

“This was one of the five dumbest trades of this decade.I was speechless.

I just can’t believe it.And who is it? It’s our guy Joe Dumars.”The backlash against the pick does not seem to be as much against Queen but instead the surrounding factors that could turn this into a disastrous move.New Orleans had the league’s fourth-fewest wins this past season with 21 and plays in the Western Conference, which is expected to again have an obscene amount of talent from top to bottom.It’s not unreasonable to expect New Orleans near the bottom of the league standings again and picking in the lottery in 2026.“They’re in the West.

What the f–k does (Dumars) think is going to happen next year? Does he think they’re going to be a five seed? What is he doing?” Simmons asked.“They should be showing the Hawks’ war room as guys are taking their shirts off and popping champagne on each other.They might have the championship belt now of the biggest mess of a team.”This trade could be a defining moment for Dumars in his attempt to rebuild the franchise.The former Pistons title-winning executive had previously been working as the Executive Vice President and Head of Bas...