Joe Dumars DEFENDS Aggressive Draft Moves BREAKS DOWN Why Pelicans Took Derik Queen & Jeremiah Fears

Joe Dumars DEFENDS Aggressive Draft Moves BREAKS DOWN Why Pelicans Took Derik Queen & Jeremiah Fears

after a riveting NBA draft well some will say some questionable moves Joe Dumar took to the podium and spoke to the media So you already know what I’m about to do We got to break all this down right now in a Pelican Scoop Cue my music This is the Pelican Scoop with Jordan Kitchens breaking down everything under the sun about your New Orleans Pelicans Smash that like button leave a comment and subscribe to stay on top of your Pel’s content Now Running Point Here’s Jordan What is good YouTube Welcome back to another edition of the Pelican Scoop back in studio It’s your boy with the most Your host with the most Jordan Kitchens And ladies and gentlemen after a great NBA draft if you ask me couple questionable moves Some people going to feel this way Some people going to feel this way I get that That’s that’s what this business is all about People are going to feel certain different ways about everything But this time around but this is something different This is not a David Griffin le team Joe Dumar is going to face the noise Joe Dumar is going to give you thorough responses thorough answers to the questions that you’re looking for because he wants no stone uncovered That’s one thing I can you know get a little bit of difference between the you know the Joe Dummar’s era and the David Griffin era It’s a lot more it’s a lot more uh transparency to say the least You know he’s not running from questions He’s not acting like he’s the smartest guy in the room sitting there giving you a bunch of word alphabet soup like David Griffin just trying to you know we want to bring in um the most adequate guys that bring in the most al altitude of possibility of being the gratitude of the most uh best human being possible We have a lot of good guys in you know shut up shut up Joe Dumas is not doing anything of those sorts So ladies and gentlemen it’s going to be a long video so let’s start off with the first clip Joe’s opening statement
Good about the night Actually we really feel good about the last 48 hours to tell you the truth Um look uh one of the things you want to do is um when you’re building out a team is whenever you have these tentpole moments draft free agency uh trade deadline uh it’s an opportunity for you to make a statement about who you are as a team what you’re going to be really to define yourself And so uh with the last 48 hours we’re really just trying to define who we are and the type of players we want to bring in Uh these two young guys tonight we um it’s crazy because we uh we felt like we were going to have to choose between these two guys the entire night And so uh to end up getting both of them was just uh really exciting for us uh we thought there was a chance that we could end up getting both of them but you know you never can tell with so many teams are moving around So um very happy tonight very happy to have these two young men and we think that they’re going to uh they’re going to be um great additions uh to the Pelicans
So Joe just starts it off basically letting everybody know that these were the guys they wanted They targeted Fierce They wanted Derek Queen bad I mean everybody knew they wanted Derek Queen bad I literally told y’all Joe Dumar was drooling over Derek Queen’s workout So the fact that Joe Dumas felt like his scouting department that that this new scouting department he’s brought in with Troy Weaver that he feels like these guys have done their research They have had no stones uncovered and they went and identified the guys they wanted they wanted and went and got and I respect that because Joe Dumar came in here and told y’all what he was going to do That’s why you know a lot of people are oh you’re being aggressive and you’re taking ch The man told you what he was going to do He says I’m going to come in I’m going to shake the roster up and I want this to be I want I don’t want complacency Like this team has been complacent the last couple years I wanted to go get it I want to go try and I respect that I ultimately respect that So speaking of going on to go try it So the next question they asked Joe was like you know what were your thoughts of trading with Indiana to get that second pick in the draft You know that Pelicans did not have a second first round pick They had Indiana’s first round pick next year because of the Brandon Ingram trade So what was Joe intentions of making that move and where his mind was Did he did he originally always want to have you know Derek Queen and and Jeremiah Fear So that’s what he had to say
Wanted you thought that gave you the best chance to get both No not necessarily like that But what I did think was that um if we’re going to have a chance to make a move up we need another asset And so let’s go ahead and get this asset Now we liked Now look when you do that here’s what you have to know if you get stuck at 23 you better have a handful of guys you like there And we did And we were just watching the board and watching who was going off and we like “Yeah we would have got one of those guys.” So we like the guys at 23 but yeah you you you know sometimes when I got here we had just the seventh pick right And so I’m like “Ah we don’t have enough assets to move around during the draft.” So yeah we had to um get that asset put it into this draft and hope that we had a chance to do what we did tonight
And one thing in particular that sticks out to me with that is that Joe he’s he’s covering his bases He’s covering his bases He said “You know if you get stuck at 23 if you can’t find a way to move up you better be damn sure you got some guys ready to go that’s going to be there cuz you don’t want to sit there and look foolish sitting on your thumb and pick 23 comes up and you’re scrambling trying to pick a guy up you have no you haven’t done no research on You haven’t brought him in for a visit you haven’t brought him in for a workout.” Joe said “No if we going to be stuck we going to have players to go.” So that’s one thing I like about Joe’s different his approach and letting us know about his approach is that you know we’re going to start moving steps ahead This is not just a reactionary business that we’re in like oh we feel this type of way so we gonna No no no no Joe saying look we had a handful of guys We had a pool of guys and we saw who got picked up at around 23 around us I was like those are one of the guys we had on on the list So I respect that and I like the open honesty about that And honestly I just like this approach Look I know it sounds like I’m just drinking a lot of the Joe Kool-Aid You know GI Joe made me some Kool-Aid I’m sipping the Kool-Aid But just seeing a different approach that we didn’t see from the last six years to what it is now I know it’s early still got to have results A results given business results given league Regardless of the fact you got to have results But I appreciate somebody that’s coming in being a man of their word He let you know what he was going to do He’s doing it now It’s not like he’s doing something that’s out the blue or you know he said he’s going to do this and does not do it No Joe told you everything he’s going to do and he’s done it so far So I can respect a man that keeps his word cuz we didn’t seen with a slime ball that can be in office for 6 years does not keep his word much at all And the main reason why you’re still probably watching this video cuz you want to hear what Joe Dumar had to say about trading that 2026 pick unprotected You know taking the swing on Derek Queen that you know you you’re fully bought in that Derek Queen is going to be the guy cuz everybody’s talking about the 2026 draft is the most loaded class ever You know how it always is like oh this always this next draft class coming up is the best class ever Even though these players have these picks have no names on them or whatever what does this aggressive mean Because at you’re in a position where you have to make the playoffs next year now Oh yeah you have to make the playoffs next year I ain’t talking play like you have to make the playoffs next year So this is what Joe Dumar had to say about being aggressive and moving that pick next year Unprotected We’ll say kind of crazy but this is what Joe had to say about that
Went into what you gave up next year for their
Yeah So um when you have a chance to get two lottery picks in one draft um you’re accounting for the following year really when you get two in one draft And so uh that’s the first thing you calculate And then secondly look these deals um we after we drafted seven we started from nine and went all the way until we got a deal and you don’t pull the trigger on the asset next year until you get that deal Otherwise you keep it Um but here’s what I’ve said to the staff When you identify a player that you think this can be one of the foundations here you go you go and get them And um that’s what we did I mean like we we targeted Queen Uh we thought he could be a heck of an addition here and we were really aggressive uh about going and getting him in the strap
So if this move doesn’t work out this is what your tenure will be judged on But damn it I cannot say that I like the I like the mentality I mean I really do He said if this is one of the guys that you identify can be a foundational piece of this franchise moving forward you go get your guy If you truly believe that Derek Queen can be a game changer for this franchise and that this is our big man of the future and honestly what I think is more perfect about the Derrick Queen situation that you need to kind of start building a team You know Zion Williams is going to miss games I know regardless this team wants to make it far Zion has to be a part of the equation Zion has to be the engine that keeps this car rolling but we know this engine he gives out a lot The engine is gonna miss some games Derek Queen can be a guy that come in there and be a foundational piece moving forward You know if Z let’s i.e the Zion era doesn’t work out still got Derrick Queen and Jeremiah Fears to lean on So I I get it If you feel like this guy is a foundational piece to to what you’re trying to build and what you’re trying to you know build a team that’s kind of resistant without Zion that can over here withstand the impact of having number one going to have to miss some games It’s just what it is It’s what it is in his tenure Zion’s going to miss some games So I do like the idea and I do like that he’s like you know we’re covering our bases We’re not just out here willy-nilly just doing anything and everything But I will say this Joe you took it’s a gamble Huge gamble You’re in the Western Conference and if you do not make the playoffs and somehow someway the Atlanta Hawks get blessed with a top five pick Again the Pelicans are going to continue to be a laughingtock and every like well look y’all hired Joe Dumar You saw what he did in Detroit So you will be defined on this But I like I like I going to say the all No it is all cards on the table It is all cards on the table approach And also if you ask me it sends a message sends a message to Willie Green sends a message to the players like look it’s all in or nothing Y’all better make the playoffs next year Like it’s no oh you know we’re going to take a year one No Like Willie you better get it together brother cuz this team has to make the playoffs now You have to make the playoffs It’s the only way It’s the only way And and and honestly if you ask me right hand Jeremiah Fears and Derek Queen both of them have to make all rookie teams Both of them Now either one wants to be first team one has to be second team One of them needs to be first team one needs to be second team or both need to be first team Both of them have to make all rookie team That’s the only way this works out Only way if you ask me that’s my opinion Y’all whatever get down in the comments I know where to find me But keep it moving We’re going to talk about Jeremiah Fierce and the idea of drafting a point guard I.e There’s no Dejante for the foreseeable future at the moment Um Alfred Peyton they just declined his option They also declined Brandon Boston Jr a little hurt by that but it’s a numbers game at this point It’s a numbers game at this point and it just so happens you you bringing fears and you get Jordan P So it’s a numbers game for with for Brandon Boston Jr Great player Somebody’s going to get a really good NBA player for the Cheepski But moving forward he starts talking about Jeremiah fears and idea of drafting a point guard What they were thinking did they always want a point guard originally So that’s what Joe had to say about that
How important was that for you and what do you want to kind of see from that position going forward
You you you know what I for me it’s people who can attack So you know as you know uh if you’re playing against Denver it’s Jokic that’s attacking you and compromising your defense If you play against little whoever right So I just wanted guys who can attack the other team You can’t have It’s hard to win when you just got one guy that can compromise the other team’s defense You have to have mo if you look around the league now you better have multiple guys that can attack and you’re not looking for one guy to do that night after night after night You don’t want to do that You don’t that’s that’s a hard way to live And so for me it it wasn’t necessarily the point guards It just happened to be those positions It could have been the small forwards And if they are the type that can attack I would you would have seen two of them coming here now
And he’s right This team last year was offensively challenged when guys go out So you need to have guys that’s willing to attack that’s willing to have that type of hey I gotta go get a bucket for this team You know you go get Jordan Pool who’s going to let it fly He’s not gonna be afraid to let it fly Sadique Bay he can shoot that thing He’s not going to be afraid to let it fly So Joe Dumis is showing you the approach and the direction he wants his team to be He wants this team to be ult really ultra aggressive and playing balls to the wall So he feels like even if it had to be fears they were going to go get a guy that was going to attack because you definitely need multiple attack You see it in the NBA finals between the Thunder and the Pacers Both teams have guys that can go out there and attack and go get go get a bucket You need that So I like that approach I mean I’m going just be honest guys I really just like the approach with this draft All right There’s not really many There’s not really many gripes for me until these boys start playing There’s not going to be many gripes for me because Joe he’s been honest with us He let us know what he was going to do and he went out there and actually did it He really went out He said they were going to be aggressive They’re going to shake the roster up And he’s done that He’s done that And I don’t really feel like he’s done anything wrong except for that unprotected pick But if it works out in your favor who cares But speaking of the unprotected pick now we’re going to start talking about Derek Queen and the fit between Queen and Zion and the players you’re trying to bring in as they’re like “Are you trying to fit everything around Zion?” So this is what Joe Dumas had to say about that
guys that’ll help win a championship and all that How much was a fit next to Zion Williamson How how much was that really held in in consideration when making these picks and really exploring the draft
You get guys who want to win You get high IQ guys You get guys with like what I call real basketball character Uh those guys fit in with anybody Like when you get that you don’t have to worry about who who they’re going to fit with The the profile it is what makes them fit with everybody So you don’t have to go like “Okay who can fit with?” you know get high character smart tough guys who who just want to win in a big way That’s how you end up winning rings and being in the finals I’m telling you you you you have to have those type of guys And so that’s what I’m focused on more than do do they fit with this guy or that guy That’s that’s a little shortsighted for me from from my vantage point anyway
And to me this is the best response because I feel like a lot of people get caught up in the oh how does it fit around Zion and how did this and that If you’re a good basketball player if you have a good IQ you’re gonna find a way to fit Granted your head coach is like trying to put a square into a circle hole like one them little toy them child toy games You know it’s Willie Green I get it He’s not really the the best guy out there for for the for that specifically trying to make guys mesh and put guys in the right position to succeed But Joe Duma said you know we’re going to bring in high character guys guys with IQ and we’re going to we’re going to let them play cuz good ball players play If your players are good enough they’re going to find a way to make it work Now it’s not you know you don’t bring him out there with four nonshooters and whatnot Derek Queen can definitely play the four And Zion is definitely not a four Zion doesn’t rebound at a high enough clip to be a four He’s not he doesn’t protect the rim at a high enough clip to be a four Zion is a three or a two Let’s call it what it is Three or two If you don’t like that it’s the truth Now Zion needs to shoot more threes but Zion is a three He’s not a four Zion you cannot be a power forward in the NBA one you’re you’re 66 and you’re not getting over eight rebounds a game Five to six rebound that’s not gonna cut it It’s not gonna cut it at the at the power forward spot especially in the NBA where you got six 10 guys on the wing going to the paint all the damn time That’s not going to work And Joe spoke about that about how this direction having two versatile bigs and having two just having multiple big men It’s a it’s the big man era of the NBA So Joe Dumar spoke about that was his approach with getting a Derek Queen and and adding that to a mei Carlo and all that Joe Duma spoke about that
We seeing today a lot is teams going double bids Yep How much do you kind of see Derek fitting into that
Oh absolutely You know we we talked about that a lot man about him and Mi and uh um Carlo and you know it’s it’s it’s imperative now that you have to have bigs Um and I’m not even sure we’re done adding bigs cuz you know you need big bodies now You look at any of these teams right now they’re running two bigs out there and if you can’t match up you’re in trouble And so you know we want to make sure that that’s a strong strong suit for us as well
He’s right It’s imperative If you don’t have two skilled bigs out there or two big men that can match up you will be in trouble You will get put in the dirt You just saw what Oklahoma City Thunder did winning an NBA championship having multiple versatile debates between Jaylen Williams the other the light-skinned Duke Dennis that Jaylen Williams Chad Hong Isaiah Hardenstein having multiple bodies multiple bodies the Pacers Seakum uh Miles Turner uh Carter I mean not Carter Bryant Thomas Bryant Carter Bryant going to the Spurs We’ll see how good he will be Everybody hyping him up So you need that And so Joe Dumar that’s what he’s envisioning The Pelicans aren’t done though They got to bring in one more big You need one more big Free agency is going to open up We’re going to talk about that tomorrow about who should the Pelicans go target Oh it’s going to be a good one Stay tuned for that But Joe was 100% right You will get buried if you do not have multiple big men that can play Not just sitting have bodies No you need actual guys that can play So I like the skill the different skill sets you’re bringing in Queens are more offensive minded big Kind of like a I mean hopefully he can become this but he’s like a black Jokic a little bit I I know three-time MVP NBA champion Noola Joic He will have to get there but his play style kind of resembles that You know Eve Mei being a rim running rim blocking you know lob threat type of big Carlo more offensive but he’s also a rim runner Can block shots So you need one more big man But Joe’s right You got to stack that front court because if you don’t you will get buried And last but not least I had to save the best for last So if you stuck to this part of the video man drop a like man Comment subscribe all that We get to 2,000 Do a little giveaway You know I’m I’mma give back I’mma give back to the people that’s give back to me So listen lies Joe Dumar spoke about the recent Dejonte Murray interview with the pivot and you know what does it mean he kind of got on there I ain’t gonna say badmouth the franchise but let it be known what was going on is it true who knows is it not who knows he said she said type of situation well Joe Dumar spoke about that to the media and it’s honestly his best response that’s why they save the best for last even though it was kind of like the last of the press conference but his best response so this what Joe Dumar had to say about DeJonte’s interview kind of saw his recent Dejante’s recent comments about his experience last with the team some of the stuff going on behind the scenes
He and I had a really good conversation We talked the next day next morning about that and I I talked to him about it Tell me what’s happening and and we had a good long talk about it Okay Um won’t be a problem this year coming up Deonte we had a really good conversation about it And you know sometimes stuff like this happens uh it’s an opportunity It’s an opportunity to get better as an organization And I call a medical staff in say “Let’s talk about Jante’s interview.” and what part of this can we get better at You know so when stuff like that happens been league long enough to know like you don’t bury your head You tack it head on like okay hey Dejante talk to me What’s happening Medical staff talk to me What’s going on Why is he saying this What’s you know I mean I mean you just deal with it head huh Like you don’t duck it You don’t run from it
And honestly could he have had a better response You know a lot of people like “Oh bro he bad mouth defense.”
Oh he just let it be known what was going on And I I like the way Joe took that is like you know what it’s an opportunity to get better It’s an opportunity for the franchise to be better You know let me go talk to the medical staff Let me go talk to the Jante Let me see what is the problem and how can we fix it moving forward cuz he’s right like it’s unexcusable Inexcusable but also at the same time he also knows that I wasn’t here during all this Like this was this was the last regime So when it’s my turn and and I’m the man running the show that this is this is my situation No I’mma clean it up I’m not sitting like we’re not going to hide from it We not going to do that We’re going to run at it full speed and make changes It’s opportunity to get better It’s not opportunity There’s not opportunity to oh well get the Jante out of here and oh he talking get him out of No let’s figure out what the problem is Let’s figure out what the problem is A lot of people oh he talk bad man Oh forget him Get him No he letting you know what has been going wrong and why this f like why other players probably don’t want to go to the Pelicans Why other free agents probably don’t want to get picked up by the Pelicans cuz like the little things like this going on Players talk Y’all do know this Players talk Players and agents talk all the time Constantly in communication So I like how Joe Dumas instead of being like shutting it out and you know dismissing it and saying “Oh it’s going to get handled behind doors.” He’s open letting you guys know No we’re going to figure this out I didn’t talk to the medical staff I didn’t talk to the Jante We didn’t had extensive conversations Everything’s good This will never happen again He said “This will never happen again.” And I believe him Joe Dumas has not shown me anything why I shouldn’t believe him yet It’s early guys still gotta play Gotta see how the season plays out But right now as of basically July soon uh June 30th why not Opportunity to get better That was the best thing he could have said So y’all let me know how y’all feeling man Y’all get down in the comments man Let me know how you feel about what Joe’s been saying Tomorrow we’re probably going to talk about some free agents you know see what we can be looking at you know maybe see how this roster is at the moment you know see see what we have moving forward We’ll do we’ll do a little bit of that tomorrow man So let me know how y’all feel about what Joe Dumar saying Let me know how you feel about the draft man It’s been your host with the most Jordan Kitchens And y’all have a good good Monday I’m signing out Peace

Pelicans VP Joe Dumars isn’t holding back! In this video Jordan Kitchens reacts to Dumars breaking down his bold and aggressive draft strategy that led to the selection of Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears. From trade rumors to front office debates, get the inside scoop on how the Pelicans front office made one of the most talked-about moves of the draft.
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