The New Orleans Pelicans' front office has been busy this week.

On Tuesday, executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars and his staff took a big swing, trading CJ McCollum, Kelly Olynyk and a future second-round draft pick to the Washington Wizards for Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey and the No. 40 pick. And one day later, New Orleans made another big move to trade up in the 2025 NBA draft.

The Pelicans moved up to the Atlanta Hawks' No. 13 pick to select Maryland's Derik Queen. To do so, they traded away the No. 23 pick and an unprotected first-round pick in 2026.

"This is when I lost my mind. I blacked out. … This was one of the five dumbest trades of this decade," Bill Simmons said Wednesday night. "I was speechless. I just can't believe it. And who is it? It's our guy Joe Dumars. And now he just traded away their unprotected first-round pick."

It certainly was a bold move. As has been the case over the last six seasons, the Pelicans' fate heavily depends on Zion Williamson's health, which has been an issue his entire career. Williamson has played over 30 games just twice in his six years in the NBA. And even if he does stay healthy, a core of Williamson, Jordan Poole, Trey Murphy II and Dejounte Murray, who is recovering from a ruptured Achilles, doesn't look like it can keep up in a packed Western Conference.

If things go awry for the Pelicans next season and they end up with a high pick in the lottery, their bold trade for Queen is going to backfire.

"They're in the West. What the f— does [Dumars] think is going to happen next year?" Simmons said.
"Does he think they're going to be a five seed? What is he doing? … They might have the championship belt now of biggest mess of a team."

The Pelicans' front office will get back to work Thursday when they are back on the clock with the No. 40 pick in the second round, the selection they acquired in the McCollum-Poole swap.